Typhoon Krathon makes landfall in Taiwan killing at least two people

Typhoon Krathon made landfall on Thursday in Taiwan’s major port city of Kaohsiung, bringing torrential rains and fierce winds to the island’s south.

Trees were brought down by high winds and roads were flooded, prompting the closure of schools and businesses. At least two people died in the storm and thousands have been evacuated.

The typhoon was forecast to move slowly north and weaken into a tropical depression by Friday before it reaches the capital, Taipei. It was expected to then head across the Taiwan Strait towards the Chinese coast. Winds were strong in Taipei on Thursday, but there was little rain.

In southern Pingtung, the typhoon was hampering rescue efforts after a fire tore through a hospital, killing nine people.

Kaohsiung residents were instructed by the Central Weather Administration (CWA) to “take shelter ASAP” before Krathon made landfall there with wind gusts of 162 km/h (100mph).

The CWA later downgraded Krathon to a tropical storm, but warned that it was still expected to bring strong winds across Taiwan and heavy rains in some regions.

The Kaohsiung city government said offices and schools would remain closed on Friday after torrential rain and strong winds cut electricity and water supplies and triggered flooding in some areas.

Approximately 11,000 people were evacuated by Thursday across Taiwan, according to the Ministry of the Interior.

Krathon reached Taiwan after first blasting a remote group of Philippine islands, leaving one dead, one missing and eight injured, as well as damaging more than 300 houses, according to the country’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.