Taipei: Taiwan evacuated more than 3,000 people on Tuesday and issued a land warning for the approaching Typhoon Fung-wong, which is expected to bring heavy rain to the mountainous east coast. The weakening typhoon is forecasted to make landfall on Wednesday on the island's southwest coast, near the major port city of Kaohsiung, after causing fatalities in the Philippines.
According to Thai News Agency, the storm killed 18 people in the Philippines as a much stronger system before weakening. The mayor of Kaohsiung emphasized the importance of remaining vigilant despite the downgrade to a weak typhoon. Meanwhile, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen took to Facebook to urge residents to avoid mountains, coasts, and other potentially dangerous areas.
The Ministry of Transport reported that 66 flights, primarily domestic, were canceled on Tuesday. Officials expect Typhoon Fung-wong to pass over southern Taiwan and move into the Pacific Ocean along the coast of the sparsely populated eastern counties of Taitung and Hualien.
The government, having ordered evacuations in Guangfu, stated that 3,337 people across four counties and cities had been relocated to safe areas. Hualien city, along with neighboring Yilan county, mandated the closure of schools and offices on Tuesday as a precautionary measure.