The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) yesterday issued land and sea alerts for Typhoon Dujuan, which has gained strength, adding that residents of mountainous areas in central, northern and northeastern regions should beware the effects of torrential rainfall.
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A super typhoon, the 21st this year, is heading towards Taiwan and southeast China, officials said on Sunday.
Some of the forecasts suggest typhoon Dujuan will intensify on approach to Taiwan, perhaps reaching super typhoon status with sustained winds of 150mph or greater.
“It’s at the upper limit of a moderate storm, and we do not rule out that it gets stronger”, a spokesman from Taiwan’s weather bureau told AFP.
A total of almost 3,000 people were being evacuated from the two islands, the local tourism bureau said. The Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) announced suspensions of services in Eastern Taiwa starting 10 a.m. Both the THSRC and the TRA have employed emergency response measures to handle the expected surge of passengers returning to work on the last day of the long Mid-Autumn Festival weekend today.
Because of Typhoon Dujuan’s slow movement – it was moving west at just 8 miles per hour as of Sunday morning eastern time – it too threatens to produce flooding rainfall as well.
Dujuan is set to hit the Japanese island of Ishigaki at around midday on Monday. Soudelor killed at least seven people in Taiwan and at least 26 in mainland China.
So far there have been no reports of damage or injuries in connection with the typhoon, but “winds are getting stronger now”, an Ishigaki official told AFP by phone.
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Toppled trees and signboards damaged electricity lines, knocking out power to a record 4.3 million households.
