At least 32 people were injured and around 5,000 others evacuated from in and around Taiwan, as heavy rain lashed the island on Tuesday after typhoon Megi made landfall around 1.30 pm [local time]. It is the third typhoon to batter Taiwan this month after Meranti and Malakas.
Roofs flew off buildings while many trees were uprooted by strong winds. According to the main power supplier, more than 9.5 lakh households faced outages. Most schools and offices were closed, as were Taiwan’s stock markets. The typhoon also affected public transport, forcing the north-south bullet train to suspend services and buses to remain off roads. Hundreds of international flights were also cancelled.
According to CNN, meteorologists have predicted that heavy rain may trigger flood and landslides. The government has set up around 100 shelters to accommodate people while more than 35,000 soldiers are on standby to help relief operations, reported AFP.
Central Weather Bureau official Jen Li-yu told Reuters that although the storm will lose its force, flooding and strong winds will continue to lash the island for almost three days. Megi is likely to travel across Taiwan and cross the Taiwan Strait before entering China on Wednesday.
Earlier this month, super typhoon Meranti killed 28 people in China and Taiwan in September, while typhoon Malakas also wreaked havoc in the region on September 16.
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