Taiwan shuts down as Typhoon Krathon brings torrential rain

Taiwan shut down on Wednesday ahead of the arrival of a weakening Typhoon Krathon, with one person reported dead and torrential rain lashing the island’s south.

KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan — Taiwan shut down on Wednesday, grounding hundreds of flights and closing schools, offices and financial markets ahead of the arrival of a weakening Typhoon Krathon, with one person reported dead and torrential rain lashing the island’s south.

Officials in the key port city of Kaohsiung, set to be in the eye of the storm, told people to stay home and avoid the sea, rivers and mountains, warning of a repeat of 1977’s Typhoon Thelma that killed 37 and devastated the city of 2.7 million.

Although the typhoon has weakened, the threats from a storm surge, strong winds and rain remain as it slowly makes its way toward Taiwan’s coast, weather forecasters said.

The typhoon would lose power once it hit land, said Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai, but would still bring intense winds and rain.

“But if it moves north, the winds will strengthen again, so the threat to Kaohsiung will continue to exist, and people cannot take this lightly,” he told reporters.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/taiwan-shuts-typhoon-krathon-brings-torrential-rain-rcna173574

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