SAWT BEIRUT INTERNATIONAL

| 25 January 2025, Saturday |

Taiwan to restore power after Typhoon Haikui batters island

Taiwan plans to restore electricity to thousands of households cut off by Typhoon Haikui in the island’s south and east by late Monday, when schools and businesses were closed and domestic airlines cancelled all but a few flights.

Haikui, the island’s first direct strike in four years, made landfall on Sunday in the island’s hilly and sparsely inhabited far southeast before advancing across the south.

It knocked off power to over 260,000 families, according to the economics ministry, who added that it hoped to restore power to the remaining 26,000 houses by 11 p.m. (1500 GMT) on Monday.

Classes were cancelled and workers given the day off for a second day across southern, eastern and central regions, while Taipei, the capital, received sporadic gusty rain showers.

The world’s largest contract chipmaker, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC) (2330.TW), said its plants in Taiwan were operating normally and had not been affected by the storm.

Fire officials reported 116 injuries from the typhoon but were still trying to ascertain if the death of a man found by a roadside in Taitung was linked to it.

Taiwan airlines cancelled 208 domestic flights, leaving just a handful scheduled, while ferry services to surrounding islands were suspended.

International flights, with just 23 cancelled, suffered less disruption, the Civil Aeronautics Administration said.

Haikui is much weaker than Typhoon Saola, which hit Hong Kong and the southern Chinese province of Guangdong on Saturday.

By Monday, Haikui had entered the Taiwan Strait, heading for China, Taiwan’s weather authorities said, though it will continue to bring heavy rain across the island into the middle of the week.

The typhoon is expected to make landfall on the border between the Chinese provinces of Guangdong and Fujian, near the city of Shantou, on Tuesday morning and weaken further, China’s weather forecast centre said.

    Source:
  • Reuters