Taiwan closed schools and offices, evacuated thousands of people, grounded flights and suspended financial markets on Thursday as it prepared for the landfall of Typhoon Conlei, one of the strongest storms to hit the island. The area was closed, a land and sea warning was issued, and the military was mobilized. The island 30 years later.
Meteorologists said the storm, a Category 3 hurricane, is expected to approach along Taiwan’s east coast on Thursday, with winds of up to 197 miles per hour.
According to Taiwan’s Ministry of Interior, 8,600 people had been evacuated across the island’s nine cities and prefectures as of Thursday morning.
Taiwanese Prime Minister Cho Zheng-tai said on Facebook: “This typhoon is expected to be fast-moving and bring strong winds and heavy rain.”
Conley was in the Philippine Sea early Thursday local time after making a detour through the northern Philippines, which was hit by Tropical Storm Trami last week. The Philippine government said Wednesday that the two storms left at least 139 people dead and at least 21 missing.
According to the Central Meteorological Bureau, a warning was issued for both land and sea throughout Taiwan early Thursday morning. According to the agency, a land warning is issued when a typhoon’s sustained winds of 39 miles per hour or more are predicted to strike within 18 hours. A maritime warning is issued when a typhoon has a sustained wind radius of at least 34 knots (39 mph) and is expected to arrive within 100 kilometers (about 62 miles) of Taiwan’s coast within 24 hours.
As the typhoon passes through Taiwan, the mountain range that runs through the center of the island will weaken the storm, and most of the precipitation is expected to be concentrated on the east side of the island.
However, Conley remains a typhoon after passing over Taiwan, heading across the Taiwan Strait toward southern Japan and China, and could make landfall again on Friday.
Weather warnings, including warnings of extremely heavy rain, were extended across Taiwan on Thursday. The Central Weather Bureau reported that about 4 feet of rain is expected in mountainous areas of eastern Taiwan.
As of Thursday morning, flights in Taiwan were canceled due to Conley. In southeastern Taiwan, some ferries were suspended and fishing boats were brought to shore. In the eastern coastal city of Hualien, which was hit by a magnitude 7.4 earthquake in April, authorities prepared supplies and vehicles to help evacuate people.
Strong winds and rain had arrived in northeastern Yilan County by early Wednesday morning. Several ships were anchored in Yilan City’s Su’ao Port, which is usually crowded with military and civilian vessels.
Taiwan’s government has banned hikers from entering mountainous areas and closed some parks in the eastern scenic area.
People in Taiwan expressed concern on social media that such a powerful storm could arrive at the beginning of winter. Although typhoons occur year-round, most storms in the Western Pacific occur from May to October.
Many fans of popular Taiwanese pop band Mayday were disappointed when the group canceled its concerts scheduled for Friday and the weekend.
Conley, with its picturesque appearance and large eyes, was circling toward eastern Taiwan. Forecasters from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center warned that the storm could become unstable, changing speed and direction as it approaches the coast, and could weaken slightly before making landfall on Thursday. .
Regardless of its weakening, Conley will become a powerful storm as it approaches Taiwan.
“Typhoon Con Rey, a climate freak,” James Reynolds, an experienced typhoon tracker, posted on social media. “The strength of its path toward Taiwan and the potential for landfall will make it a once-in-a-generation storm, if not more so.”
If Conley were to make landfall as a Category 4 hurricane, it would be the strongest typhoon to hit Taiwan later this year. According to Brian McNoldy, a researcher at the University of Miami, the most recent typhoon to hit Taiwan was a Category 2 hurricane or stronger, Klosa on October 6, 2007, which knocked out power to nearly 500,000 homes and caused atmospheric There was confusion in the air. Sea traffic when landing.
After landing in Taiwan, Conley is expected to weaken as it moves toward China. The China Meteorological Administration said several provinces and cities in the southeast, including financial capital Shanghai, were bracing for heavy rain and strong winds from Friday through the weekend.
