Typhoon Podul blows through southern Taiwan, leaving one missing; hundreds of flights cancelled
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TAIPEI - Typhoon Podul blew through southern Taiwan on Aug 13, packing winds of up to 191kmh and leaving one person missing, as a large swathe of the island shut down and hundreds of flights were cancelled.
Taiwan is regularly hit by typhoons, generally along its mountainous east coast facing the Pacific.
Podul slammed into the south-eastern city of Taitung around 1pm, passed through the southern tip of the island, and then passed into the Taiwan Strait some three hours later, said Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration.
It is expected to next make landfall on China’s southern coast late on Aug 13 or early on Aug 14, affecting Fujian and Guangdong provinces, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.
In Taiwan, one person was reported missing and 33 others injured, the government said.
Nine cities and counties announced the suspension of work and school for Aug 13, including the southern metropolises of Kaohsiung and Tainan.
In the capital Taipei, home to Taiwan’s financial markets, there were blustery winds but no impact.
The authorities also evacuated those whose homes were damaged by a July typhoon that brought record winds and damaged the electricity grid in a rare direct hit to Taiwan’s west coast.
The government said more than 5,500 people had been evacuated ahead of the typhoon’s arrival.
All domestic flights were cancelled on Aug 13 – 252 in total – while 155 international ones were axed, the Transport Ministry said.
In response to a media query, a Singapore Airlines (SIA) spokesperson said that SQ876, flying from Singapore to Taipei on Aug 13, had to be diverted to Hong Kong International Airport due to adverse weather conditions caused by the typhoon.
The Boeing 787-10, with 276 passengers and 14 crew members on board, landed in Hong Kong at 2.56pm on Aug 13. The plane later departed Hong Kong at 4.30pm and landed at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport at 7.02pm.
The spokesperson said that SQ877, which was originally scheduled to depart Taipei for Singapore on Aug 13, was cancelled as the flight crew had exceeded their regulatory flight time limits as a result of the delayed inbound aircraft into Taiwan.
“We are providing all necessary assistance to the affected passengers, including providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodation and the rebooking of connecting flights,” the spokesperson said.
“SIA sincerely apologises to all affected passengers for the inconvenience caused.”
Taiwan’s two main international carriers, China Airlines and Eva Air, said their cancellations were focused on routes out of Kaohsiung, with some flights from the island’s main international airport at Taoyuan stopped as well.
A screen displaying information on cancelled domestic flights, as Typhoon Podul approached the country, in Taipei, Taiwan, on Aug 13.
PHOTO: REUTERS
As much as 600mm of rain was forecast in the southern mountainous areas over the next few days, the Central Weather Administration said.
More than a year’s rainfall fell in a single week in August in some southern areas, unleashing widespread landslides and flooding, resulting in four deaths. REUTERS
Additional reporting by Rhea Yasmine
