Authorities in Taitung, Taiwan, prepared for Typhoon Haikui on Sunday, the first big surprise to directly hit the beach in four years. As a result, thousands of people were evacuated, hundreds of flights were canceled, and businesses were shut down.
Haikui, which brought heavy storms by Sunday( Sep 3 ) dawn, is expected to reach ashore by 5 p.m. in Taitung, a mountainous region in less populated eastern Taiwan.
Just before nine in the morning, the wind was about 180 kilometers south of Taiwan, according to a press conference from Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau.
According to deputy director Fong Chin-tzu,” It is expected to pose a significant threat to most areas in Taiwan with winds, rains, and waves ,” andnbsp urged the public to be” on guard.”
He said, adding that it would move north to the Taiwan Strait by Monday,” It has gathered some power since tuesday.”
More than 200 domestic flights were canceled as a result of the typhoon’s sustained wind speed of about 154 km / hr, and on Sunday, businesses in the islands’ southern and eastern regions were shut down.
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen urged the populace to prepare for the storms and to take precautions for their safety. He also advised against going outside or engaging in any risky activities.
More than 2,800 people, mostly from the rocky state of Hualien, which borders Taitung, were reportedly evacuated across seven cities, according to authorities.