Two injured, thousands left without power as Typhoon Haikui hits Taiwan

Huge waves in Yilan as Typhoon Haikui approaches eastern Taiwan on September 3, 2023.

Typhoon Haikui has caused injuries to two individuals and left nearly 10,000 homes without power as it struck Taiwan, as reported by the official Central News Agency (CNA) of the island on Sunday.

The two injured individuals were inside a van when a tree fell on the vehicle, trapping them, according to CNA. Fortunately, they sustained injuries but remained conscious and were subsequently transported to a hospital.

Typhoon Haikui made landfall in the southeastern coastal township of Donghe at approximately 3:40 p.m. local time, as confirmed by the weather bureau.

As of 2 p.m. local time on Sunday, more than 9,300 households in Taitung and Hualien counties had lost electricity, with repair efforts currently underway, as stated by the state electricity provider Taipower.

Heavy rains are currently affecting the capital city, Taipei.

The weather bureau reported that Typhoon Haikui is moving westwards at a speed of 7 kilometers (4 miles) per hour, accompanied by winds reaching speeds of up to 155 kilometers per hour (96 miles per hour). This marks the first direct typhoon impact on Taiwan in four years, and it is anticipated to bring substantial rainfall to the eastern regions, potentially resulting in flash flooding and landslides. Hualien county, known for its mountainous terrain, could witness total precipitation exceeding 500 millimeters.

A woman walks with an umbrella during heavy rain near Su-ao port in Yilan as Haikui makes landfall on Sunday.

The typhoon was previously expected to make landfall near the southeastern city of Taitung at around 5 p.m. local time on Sunday.

By 7 a.m. local time on Sunday, more than 2,800 residents in seven counties and municipalities had been evacuated, according to the Ministry of the Interior of Taiwan.

Seven counties and cities in southern and eastern Taiwan have canceled school and work for Sunday, as indicated by their respective local authorities. Furthermore, Yunlin county and the outlying Penghu county have decided to suspend school and work starting from noon on Sunday.

The typhoon’s impact has led to the cancellation of 222 domestic flights and 37 international flights departing from Taiwan, as reported by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications of Taiwan.

In neighboring Hong Kong, another typhoon named Saola caused at least 86 injuries after making landfall in the city following its passage through the northeastern Philippines.

As of the latest update on Saturday, Hong Kong authorities had received over 1,500 reports of fallen trees, 21 cases of flooding, and two reports of landslides.

While Saola has weakened to a tropical storm, it left behind a trail of hundreds of canceled and disrupted flights.