Typhoon Krathon Wreaks Havoc in Taiwan: Death Toll Rises as Powerful Storm Hits Kaohsiung

Kaohsiung, Taiwan, October 4, 2024 – Typhoon Krathon made a devastating landfall in Taiwan on Thursday, unleashing fierce winds and torrential rains upon the island’s second-largest city, Kaohsiung.  Powerful storm has left at least two people dead, with several missing and over 120 injured, as emergency services struggle to manage widespread destruction. 

Typhoon, which had been lingering off Taiwan’s southwest coast for days, struck Kaohsiung at approximately 12:40 pm local time. With wind gusts reaching close to 100 mph, Krathon tore through the city, ripping roofs from buildings, toppling trees, and hurling shipping containers around busy port areas. Coastal regions endured the brunt of the storm, with violent storm surges exacerbating damage and causing flooding in several low-lying districts. 

Aftermath was swift and dramatic. Streets were submerged, debris-littered  roads, and electricity outages affected thousands of households. Videos circulated online showed waterlogged vehicles stranded in streets and shopfronts destroyed by high winds. Aerial footage revealed the extent of the devastation, with trees uprooted, buildings damaged, and several areas rendered impassable due to flooding. 

In a tragic turn of events, nine people lost their lives in a hospital fire in Kaohsiung just hours before typhoon hit. Though the fire is not believed to be related to a storm, extreme wear conditions hampered evacuation efforts, leaving emergency responders struggling to move hundreds of patients to safety.  The cause of the fire is under investigation, but it added a layer of difficulty to an already overwhelming situation for authorities. 

Precautionary Measures and Chaos in Kaohsiung 

Taiwanese authorities had taken extensive precautions in the days leading up to the storm, having learned from the catastrophic impact of Typhoon Gaemi just months earlier, which killed 11 people and caused severe flooding in Kaohsiung’s city center. In anticipation of Krathon’s arrival, officials shut down offices, schools, and financial markets across Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday. Hundreds of flights were grounded, and more than 38,000 troops were placed on standby, ready to assist in evacuation and rescue operations. 

Despite warnings, Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai expressed concern that many residents did not heed government advice. “Looking at surveillance cameras, we can see re are a lot of people out riding scooters under such strong wind and rain, which is very dangerous,” said Chen during a press briefing. Authorities had sent out text alerts early on Thursday, urging residents to stay indoors, but chaotic scenes in the city suggested that not everyone followed instructions. 

Kraton had initially reached super typhoon status earlier in the week, after passing through islands in  northern Philippines, but it stalled in open waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast and weakened before making landfall as a Category 1 storm. Still,  the impact was severe. In hours following the storm’s arrival, several landslides were reported in various parts of the island, including in the mountainous northeastern region, far from the storm’s center. 

In one tragic incident, a truck driver was killed when a boulder fell onto his vehicle as he drove along a rain-drenched road. Emergency services reported that more than 70 injuries occurred in Taitung County on Taiwan’s eastern coast, where the storm’s winds were particularly fierce.  Missing individuals include a fisherman swept out to sea and another person washed away by a swollen river in Yunlin County. 

Comparisons to Past Storms and Government Response 

Krathon’s impact has drawn comparisons to Typhoon LMA, a similarly destructive storm that struck Taiwan in 1977, killing 37 people. Authorities have cited LMA in urging residents to exercise caution, as Krathon’s impact zone mirrors the path of that deadly storm. 

While Taiwan is frequently battered by typhoons, storms of this magnitude rarely make landfall on the densely populated west coast, where major cities such as Kaohsiung and the capital Taipei are located.  Island’s topography often protects the west from the full force of such wear systems, which usually strike the more vulnerable east coast. 

Authorities had been preparing for the worst, especially after the devastating effects of Typhoon Gaemi in July. Gaemi, which hit Taiwan with the force of a Category 4 hurricane, caused widespread flooding and devastation across Kaohsiung and or parts of the island, grounding several ships and leaving parts of the city submerged. Kaohsiung, with its low-lying areas, is particularly susceptible to flooding during typhoons, and officials worked around the clock to prepare for Krathon’s arrival. 

To ensure the safety of the population, nearly 10,000 people were evacuated from some of the more vulnerable mountainous regions in days before the storm made landfall. Roads and infrastructure were reinforced, and disaster response teams were pre-positioned across the island. However,  the storm’s unpredictable trajectory and powerful outer bands still caused damage far beyond the immediate impact zone.

Looking Ahead: Krathon’s Path 

As of Thursday evening, Krathon is expected to weaken as it moves up the western plains of Taiwan, reverting to a tropical depression before reaching Taipei by Friday.  Capital is already experiencing heavy rainfall, and authorities are bracing for potential flooding in the city’s rivers and low-lying districts. 

Wear experts predict that the storm will dissipate before it reaches mainland China, but Taiwan’s Central Wear Bureau has warned that the threat of heavy rain and landslides will persist in the coming days, especially in mountainous areas prone to soil erosion. 

In the meantime, recovery efforts are underway in Kaohsiung and or affected areas. Cleanup crews are working to clear roads of debris, restore power to thousands of homes, and reopen vital transport links.  Damage to Kaohsiung’s port facilities is being assessed, but early reports suggest that some shipping operations could be delayed for days. 

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen visited a disaster relief center in southern Taiwan on Thursday afternoon, where she praised the efforts of first responders and assured the public that government would provide full support to affected areas. ” Safety of our people is our top priority,” Tsai said, urging citizens to remain vigilant as the storm continues to move across the island. 

As Taiwan begins to recover from Krathon’s devastation,  the long-term economic and infrastructural impacts of the storm are yet to be fully realized. However, for the people of Kaohsiung and surrounding areas, the immediate focus remains on rebuilding their lives in the wake of yet another powerful typhoon.