Three people have died and at least 266 others were injured as Typhoon Gaemi made landfall in Taiwan late on Wednesday night, the strongest storm to hit the island in almost a decade.
Gaemi made landfall at midnight local time on the northeastern coast and was packing gusts of up to 227kph (141mph) before weakening, according to the island's Central Weather Administration.
The typhoon is now centred in the Taiwan Strait and heading toward Fuzhou in China’s Fujian province, where it will make landfall late on Thursday or Friday.
The typhoon had already killed 13 people in the Philippines on its way past that country, adding to flooding and landslides from already high monsoon rainfall. Many people were still trapped in the archipelago due to floodwaters.
Taiwan was brought to a standstill, with schools and offices shut, power cut to around half a million households, flights cancelled, war drills delayed and streets emptied.Office and schools as well as the financial markets remained closed for a second day on Thursday, with heavy rain set to continue.
Key Points
- Three dead and 266 injured after Typhoon Gaemi makes landfall
- Nine missing as Typhoon Gaemi sinks freighter off Taiwan
- Typhoon Gaemi/Carina path tracker
- Philippines death toll rises to 12
- Excess ocean heat from climate change intensifies typhoon, say experts
Nine missing as Typhoon Gaemi sinks freighter off Taiwan
04:57
Stuti Mishra
A Tanzania-flagged freighter with nine Myanmar nationals on board has sunk off the coast of the southern port city of Kaohsiung amid extreme weather brought by Typhoon Gaemi, Taiwan's fire department said.
Officials say there has been no response from the crew.
Search efforts were ongoing, it added.
Typhoon Gaemi has brought heavy rainfall, gusty winds and a dangerous storm surge to Taiwan.
Three dead and 266 injured after Typhoon Gaemi makes landfall
04:16
Stuti Mishra
Three people have died and 266 were injured in Taiwan as Typhoon Gaemi barrelled through the island.
One scooter rider in southern Kaohsiung city was crushed by a falling tree before the arrival of storm, a woman in eastern Hualien died after a wall fell on the car she was in, and a neighbourhood leader in New Taipei was driving an excavator which overturned, authorities said.
The storm made landfall around midnight local time (5pm BST) on the northeastern coast of Taiwan in Yilan county.
It is the strongest typhoon to hit the island in eight years and was packing gusts of up to 227kph (141mph) before weakening, according to the Central Weather Administration.
The island was lashed by hours of heavy rain and powerful winds.
Excess ocean heat from climate change intensifies typhoon, say experts
03:00
Jane Dalton
Excess ocean heat may be helping fuel the typhoon that’s nearing Taiwan.
Scientists say climate change is making typhoons – tropical cyclones that gain energy by feeding on ocean heat – more intense, capable of reaching greater wind speeds and dumping more rain.
Wind speeds at the typhoon’s centre were approaching their second-highest ever recorded for the Western Pacific Ocean on Wednesday afternoon.
Streets turned into rivers as Typhoon #Carina hit #Philippines and claimed at least 13 lives#Typhoon #Gaemi #Flood #Asia #CarinaPH #Storm #Flashflood #Rain #Weather #Viral #Climate pic.twitter.com/igazYdaVL5
— Earth42morrow (@Earth42morrow) July 24, 2024
Super-typhoons: The tropical cyclones that cause poverty
02:00
Jane Dalton
As Typhoon Gaemi approaches Taiwan, it has escalated into a super-typhoon before making landfall.
A super-typhoon is an extremely powerful tropical cyclone in the Northwest Pacific Ocean, distinguished by sustained wind speeds of at least 150 miles per hour (241 kilometres per hour).
The Joint Typhoon Warning Centre (JTWC) uses this classification, placing super-typhoons on par with the most intense hurricanes in the Atlantic and Northeast Pacific, specifically Category 4 or 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
Historically, super-storms like Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in 2013 and Typhoon Meranti in 2016 have caused widespread destruction. More than 14 million people were affected by Haiyan. It also pushed 2.3 million people into poverty.
Typhoon Meranti which struck the Philippines, Taiwan and mainland China, was one of the strongest tropical cyclones on record, causing more than $2.6 billion in damage and leading to more than 30 deaths.
Hundreds of thousands forced to flee homes
01:00
Jane Dalton
Hundreds of thousands of people were forced to flee their homes in the Philippines, thanks to monsoon rains and the typhoon:
Mountains disrupt Gaemi’s circulation
Wednesday 24 July 2024 23:45
Jane Dalton
Weather experts say Taiwan’s mountains have forced the typhoon to change course.
Television forecaster Jeff Berardelli said friction from the large mountains deflected the storm by disrupting its circulation.
Hurricane researcher Michael Ferragamo said: “I’d say there’s some sort of geography at play here, with the higher terrain of the island perhaps deflecting conventional motion to the south.”
Absolutely ludicrous. Typhoon #Gaemi makes sharp unexpected turn south right before slamming #Taiwan coast, then loops around and is now headed for the 2nd attempted landfall. Friction from the large mountains deflected the storm by disrupting the circulation credit: @BMcNoldy pic.twitter.com/lZujFh9U6x
— Jeff Berardelli (@WeatherProf) July 24, 2024
Heavy rain over China predicted to last a week
Wednesday 24 July 2024 22:45
Jane Dalton
Typhoon Gaemi is expected to bring heavy to very intense rains over vast swathes of China from Thursday, the water resources ministry warned.
The rains are expected to last for a week, fuelled by the typhoon’s abundant moisture, it added.
China’s National Meteorological Centre has issued a red alert, the highest level, according to Xinhua.
Gaemi movement surprises experts
Wednesday 24 July 2024 21:45
Jane Dalton
Meteorologists and cyclone researchers have been surprised by the path Typhoon Gaemi has taken.
One said it made a sharp unexpected turn south before slamming into the Taiwan coast, then looped around and was now heading for its second attempted landfall.
Radar images showed it moving anti-clockwise off the east coast.
Typhoon #Gaemi is now turning back for a second attempt at landfall pic.twitter.com/Q0KcWmcVla
— Zoom Earth (@zoom_earth) July 24, 2024
In pictures: Storm inundates Philippines
Wednesday 24 July 2024 21:13
Jane Dalton
Shelters open as storm threatens homes
Wednesday 24 July 2024 19:15
Jane Dalton
Shelters have been opened in vulnerable areas, particularly in Taiwan’s mountainous centre and east that are prone to landslides and flooding, as the typhoon threatens to wreck homes.
Streets have been inundated in numerous towns and cities, and high winds knocked down pedestrians and riders of the island’s ubiquitous motor scooters.
Schools, offices and tourist sites were closed, and the storm prompted the cancellation of air force drills off Taiwan’s east coast.
Two more people killed in Taiwan
Wednesday 24 July 2024 18:35
Jane Dalton
The death toll from the typhoon in Taiwan has risen to three.
Taiwan’s Central News Agency said more than 220 other people were injured as Typhoon Gaemi gathered strength and brought strong winds and heavy rain.
The three deaths included a driver pinned under his excavator after it overturned on a slippery road, a woman hit by a falling tree and a woman crushed in a car by a collapsing wall, the agency said.
Typhoon may be briefly veering away from Taiwan
Wednesday 24 July 2024 16:58
Jane Dalton
The typhoon may be temporarily looping back out into the Pacific after hitting the Taiwan coast, it’s been suggested, based on radar images:
The mountainous terrain of Taiwan is causing havoc with Typhoon #Gaemi’s trajectory
— Zoom Earth (@zoom_earth) July 24, 2024
Gaemi has taken a sharp turn south off the coast of Taiwan and appears to be temporarily looping back out into the Pacific. Latest radar: pic.twitter.com/3O4mJ3k2Vn
Excess ocean heat from climate change intensifies typhoon, say experts
Wednesday 24 July 2024 16:00
Jane Dalton
Excess ocean heat may be helping fuel the typhoon that’s nearing Taiwan.
Scientists say climate change is making typhoons – tropical cyclones that gain energy by feeding on ocean heat – more intense, capable of reaching greater wind speeds and dumping more rain.
Wind speeds at the typhoon’s centre were approaching their second-highest ever recorded for the Western Pacific Ocean on Wednesday afternoon.
Taiwan was forced to scale back annual war games ahead of Typhoon Gaemi
Wednesday 24 July 2024 15:30
Stuti Mishra
Taiwan has been forced to scale back its annual war games as it braced for Typhoon Gaemi.
The island is conducting the Han Kuang military drills involving its land, air and naval forces to simulate actual battle from Monday to Friday.
The air force drills off the east coast scheduled for Tuesday were cancelled, but naval and land exercises were set to continue in and around other parts of the self-governing island.
On Wednesday, schools, offices and financial markets also shut down leaving streets of Taipei empty as heavy winds and rainfall battered the island nation.
Shweta Sharma has more details.
Typhoon Gaemi intensifies into a super typhoon. What does that mean?
Wednesday 24 July 2024 15:00
Stuti Mishra
As Typhoon Gaemi approaches Taiwan, it has escalated into a super typhoon before making landfall. But what exactly is a super typhoon, and why is there such concern?
What is a super typhoon?
A super typhoon is an extremely powerful tropical cyclone in the Northwest Pacific Ocean, distinguished by sustained wind speeds of at least 150 miles per hour (241 kilometres per hour). The Joint Typhoon Warning Centre (JTWC) uses this classification, placing super typhoons on par with the most intense hurricanes in the Atlantic and Northeast Pacific, specifically Category 4 or 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
Historically, super storms like Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in 2013 and Typhoon Meranti in 2016 have caused widespread destructions. More than 14 million people were affected by Haiyan. It also pushed 2.3 million people into poverty.
Typhoon Meranti which struck the Philippines, Taiwan and mainland China, was one of the strongest tropical cyclones on record, causing more than $2.6 billion in damage and leading to more than 30 deaths.
Flight Disruptions at Fuzhou Changle International Airport Due to Typhoon Gaemi
Wednesday 24 July 2024 14:30
Stuti Mishra
State media reports that Fuzhou Changle International Airport has canceled 13 flights and delayed the departure of multiple others as Typhoon Gaemi approaches. The super typhoon, which has already intensified significantly, is expected to bring severe weather conditions to the region.
Passengers are advised to check with their airlines for the latest updates on flight statuses and to make necessary arrangements.
All domestic flights and over 200 international flights were cancelled in Taiwan earlier.
Several operators in China have also cancelled railway services on Thursday.
China maritime safety administration launches level 1 emergency response ahead of Typhoon Gaemi
Wednesday 24 July 2024 14:00
Stuti Mishra
In China, the Fujian Maritime Safety Administration has launched a Level I emergency response, the highest alert, in anticipation of Gaemi’s arrival.
The typhoon is expected to move towards China’s Fujian province by Friday, prompting authorities to prepare for significant disruptions and potential evacuations.
Several train operators have already cancelled railway services on Thursday.
After battering Taiwan, Typhoon Gaemi will head towards China’s Fujian province, which is already hit hard by weeks of extreme rain and deadly flooding.
China suspends trains ahead of Typhoon Gaemi
Wednesday 24 July 2024 13:30
Stuti Mishra
China Railway Nanchang Group has suspended all its passenger trains tomorrow in Fujian province ahead of the arrival of Typhoon Gaemi, state media reports.Earlier, Shenzen’s rail authority suspended 260 trains for Thursday.Typhoon Gaemi will make landfall in Taiwan today and then head towards China’s Fujian province, which is already hit hard by weeks of extreme rain and deadly flooding.
China's Met issues 'red alert' for Typhoon Gaemi
Wednesday 24 July 2024 13:00
Stuti Mishra
China's National Meteorological Centre has issued a red alert, the highest level, for Typhoon Gaemi, according to Xinhua.
A red alert is the highest level of warning in China's color-coded alert system, which typically signifies that extreme weather conditions are imminent or occurring, and it calls for immediate action to ensure safety.
The alert means residents in affected areas should prepare for strong winds, heavy rainfall, and potential flooding.
The powerful storm, now classified as a super typhoon, is expected to bring severe weather conditions as it approaches the northern coast of Taiwan and China's Fujian province.
When will Typhoon Gaemi make landfall in Taiwan?
Wednesday 24 July 2024 12:30
Stuti Mishra
Gaemi, a super typhoon, is churning closer to Taiwan with 10-min sustained winds of 185kmh (115mph) gusting to 230 kmh, already bringing heavy rainfall to the island.
As of 6pm local time (11am BST), the outer rings of the storm had almost reached the island, according to the latest information from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
The storm was forecast to make landfall by 2am local time on Thursday (7pm BST Wednesday). However, the sheer size of the storm meant that its outer rings would be completely covering Taiwan hours before that.
In photos: Roads submerged, thousands evacuating as relentless rain continues to batter the Philippines
Wednesday 24 July 2024 11:56
Stuti Mishra
Typhoon Gaemi could intensify into a super typhoon. What does that mean?
Wednesday 24 July 2024 11:30
Stuti Mishra
As Typhoon Gaemi approaches Taiwan, it has escalated into a super typhoon before making landfall. But what exactly is a super typhoon, and why is there such concern?
What is a super typhoon?
A super typhoon is an extremely powerful tropical cyclone in the Northwest Pacific Ocean, distinguished by sustained wind speeds of at least 150 miles per hour (241 kilometres per hour). The Joint Typhoon Warning Centre (JTWC) uses this classification, placing super typhoons on par with the most intense hurricanes in the Atlantic and Northeast Pacific, specifically Category 4 or 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
Historically, super storms like Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in 2013 and Typhoon Meranti in 2016 have caused widespread destructions. More than 14 million people were affected by Haiyan. It also pushed 2.3 million people into poverty.
Typhoon Meranti which struck the Philippines, Taiwan and mainland China, was one of the strongest tropical cyclones on record, causing more than $2.6 billion in damage and leading to more than 30 deaths.
Typhoon Gaemi intensifies into 'super typhoon' ahead of landfall
Wednesday 24 July 2024 11:14
Stuti Mishra
Typhoon Gaemi, which is churning towards Taiwan and due to make landfall in the coming few hours, has intensified into a super typhoon, according to the Philippines' weather agency.
"Carina intensifies into super typhoon and is about to make landfall over northern Taiwan," the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) wrote on X, referring to the storm by its Filipino name.
The storm's outer winds are already battering Taiwan and earlier caused devastation in the Philippines, with heavy rain and powerful gusts contributing to floods and landslides that have killed at least 13 people.
TROPICAL CYCLONE BULLETIN NR. 20
— PAGASA-DOST (@dost_pagasa) July 24, 2024
Super Typhoon #CarinaPH (GAEMI)
Issued at 5:00 PM, 24 July 2024
Valid for broadcast until the next bulletin at 11:00 PM today.
CARINA INTENSIFIES INTO SUPER TYPHOON AND IS ABOUT TO MAKE LANDFALL OVER NORTHERN TAIWAN pic.twitter.com/M3451B5C6P
Philippines coast guard 'overwhelmed' as thousands stuck in floodwater while river swells
Wednesday 24 July 2024 10:40
Stuti Mishra
Rescuers in the Philippines are responding to hundreds of pleas from residents stuck amid floodwaters with the coast guard "overwhelmed" as rainfall from Typhoon Gaemi continues to pound the archipelago.
In Marikina city in the eastern fringes of the Manila region, the continuing downpour swelled a major river, prompting many residents to flee to safety.
The strong currents swept away a steel cargo container, refrigerators, pieces of home furniture and tree trunks, according to the Associated Press.
Some residents called radio stations and asked to be rescued by authorities from rooftops or upper floors of their low-slung houses amid rising floodwaters.
Mayor Jeannie Sandoval of Malabon, a flood-prone city in the northern section of the capital region, assured one alarmed mother that rescue boats and trucks have been scrambling all day to help trapped residents like her.
"Stay calm. We're doing everything we can. The local government won't leave you behind," Sandoval told the DZRH radio network.
Rear Admiral Armando Balilo said the Philippine coast guard, where he serves as a spokesperson, has been overwhelmed with pleas from floodwater-trapped residents in the capital to be rescued, including those who were waiting for help from rooftops.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr ordered authorities to speed up efforts to deliver food and other aid to isolated rural villages.
"People there may not have eaten for days," Mr Marcos said in a televised emergency meeting.
The Philippine coast guard said more than 350 passengers and cargo truck drivers and workers were stranded in seaports after ferries and cargo ships were prohibited from venturing into rough seas.
It added that coast guard personnel helped more than 200 residents evacuate a coastal village in Batangas province south of Manila where storm-tossed waves have hit coastal houses.
Debris flies as powerful winds batter Taiwan
Wednesday 24 July 2024 10:17
Stuti Mishra
Powerful winds from Typhoon Gaemi are causing damage across Taiwan.
Authorities have issued warnings for everyone to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel. One person has died after a tree fell and over 50 are injured.
"Getting too dangerous to be on the street now," James Reynolds, a tropical cyclone interceptor, wrote on X.
Getting too dangerous to be on the street now, flying debris starting to fill the air in these powerful, ripping gusts - video from my chase partner Mark Thomas #typhoon #Gaemi #Taiwan pic.twitter.com/nIop9XBcEO
— James Reynolds (@EarthUncutTV) July 24, 2024
Taiwan was forced to scale back annual war games ahead of Typhoon Gaemi
Wednesday 24 July 2024 09:43
Stuti Mishra
Taiwan has been forced to scale back its annual war games as it braced for Typhoon Gaemi.
The island is conducting the Han Kuang military drills involving its land, air and naval forces to simulate actual battle from Monday to Friday.
The air force drills off the east coast scheduled for Tuesday were cancelled, but naval and land exercises were set to continue in and around other parts of the self-governing island.
On Wednesday, schools, offices and financial markets also shut down leaving streets of Taipei empty as heavy winds and rainfall battered the island nation.
Shweta Sharma has more details.
More than 4,000 evacuated from high-risk landslide areas in Taiwan
Wednesday 24 July 2024 09:11
Stuti Mishra
The government said more than 4,000 people had been evacuated from sparsely populated mountain areas.
The evacuations took place in three northern regions, particularly Hualien – a mountainous area with high risk of landslides.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence said it had put 29,000 soldiers on standby for disaster relief efforts.
One dead and 58 injured in Taiwan amid extreme weather brought by Typhoon Gaemi
Wednesday 24 July 2024 08:31
Stuti Mishra
Extreme weather brought by Typhoon Gaemi claims its first fatality in Taiwan as one person died after getting crushed by a falling tree in the southern city of Kaohsiung, the fire department said.
Officials also reported that another 58 people were injured.
Typhoon Gaemi is expected to make landfall tonight but it is already lashing the island nation with heavy gusts of wind and rainfall.
In the Philippines, where the outer rings of the typhoon have been intensifying rainfall this week, 12 people have been confirmed dead from flooding and landslide related incidents.
Gaemi is expected to be the strongest storm to hit Taiwan in eight years.
Restaurants in Taipei prepare for typhoon force winds
Wednesday 24 July 2024 08:16
Stuti Mishra
High winds and heavy rains in Taipei already, still hours to go before Typhoon Gaemi landfall.
— Emily Feng 冯哲芸 (@EmilyZFeng) July 24, 2024
My local friend chicken place is taping their windows pic.twitter.com/ag6E1fRID2
Typhoon Gaemi/Carina path tracker
Wednesday 24 July 2024 08:00
Stuti Mishra
Flight cancellations in Japan
Wednesday 24 July 2024 07:45
Stuti Mishra
Japanese media said Typhoon Gaemi also cancelled all flights departing from and arriving at Miyako and Ishigaki in Japan's Okinawa prefecture, which lies in the storm's path.
In Taiwan, all domestic flights and over 200 international flights have been cancelled as the typhoon has intensified rainfall and is set to make landfall this evening.
China has cancelled a large number of train services ahead of the typhoon's arrival there tomorrow.
In photos: Heavy rain and winds hit Taipei
Wednesday 24 July 2024 07:30
Stuti Mishra
China suspends trains ahead of Typhoon Gaemi
Wednesday 24 July 2024 07:10
Stuti Mishra
China Railway Nanchang Group has suspended all its passenger trains tomorrow in Fujian province ahead of the arrival of Typhoon Gaemi, state media reports.
Earlier, Shenzen's rail authority suspended 260 trains for Thursday.
Typhoon Gaemi will make landfall in Taiwan today and then head towards China’s Fujian province, which is already hit hard by weeks of extreme rain and deadly flooding.
Video: Muddy flood gushes downhill stalling drivers in typhoon Gaemi-hit region of the Philippines
Wednesday 24 July 2024 06:51
Stuti Mishra
Live: Taiwan braces for Typhoon Gaemi as flights cancelled, markets closed
Wednesday 24 July 2024 06:30
Stuti Mishra
Philippines death toll rises to 12
Wednesday 24 July 2024 06:17
Stuti Mishra
The death toll from heavy rainfall, landslides and floods in the Philippines has risen to 12 as rescuers dig out bodies of people who were buried.
Gaemi, which was called Carina in the Philippines, did not make landfall in the archipelago but enhanced its seasonal monsoon rains. The rains set off at least a dozen landslides and floods over five days, killing at least eight and displacing 600,000 people, including 35,000 who went to emergency shelters, the Philippines' disaster risk mitigation agency said.
A landslide buried a rural shanty Tuesday in Agoncillo town in Batangas province, and the bodies of a pregnant woman and three children, aged 9 to 15, were dug out this morning.
Rainfall inundated roads overnight and government work and school classes were suspended in the densely populated region around the Philippine capital.
People were seen wading through knee- and waist-high floodwaters with some using improvised dinghies and paddling their way alongside cars, trucks and SUVs.
Typhoon Gaemi could reach 'super typhoon' category before landfall
Wednesday 24 July 2024 05:54
Stuti Mishra
Typhoon Gaemi is expected to intensify further as it churns towards the northern part of Taiwan, where it is expected to make landfall later today.
The wind speed of the storm is already around 227 kph (141 mph) near its centre, with a status of a strong typhoon.
According to the Philippines'national forecaster Gaemi could still intensify further and may become a super typhoon over the next 8-9 hours before its landfall in Taiwan.
A super typhoon is a tropical cyclone with sustained surface winds of over 150mph (240kmh), which is comparable to a strong Category 4 or Category 5 hurricane.
Typhoon Gaemi now equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane
Wednesday 24 July 2024 05:18
Stuti Mishra
Gaemi, which is churning towards Taiwan in the Philippines sea, had sustained wind speeds of 241 kilometres per hour, or 150 miles per hour, which would make it a Category 4 hurricane if it were in the Atlantic Ocean.
Super Typhoon #Gaemi is forecast to strike #Taiwan ⚠️
— Zoom Earth (@zoom_earth) July 23, 2024
Winds could exceed 240 km/h (150 mph), the equivalent of a high-end category 4 hurricane, before impacting northern Taiwan on Wednesday.
Gaemi will then go on to strike China’s Fujian province on Thursday. pic.twitter.com/yKJyCG3owt
Eight killed as the Philippines battered by heavy rainfall and landslides
Wednesday 24 July 2024 05:01
Stuti Mishra
At least eight people are dead and more than 600,000 people displaced due to flooding and landslides in the Philippines caused by Typhoon Gaemi, which is locally called Carina.
The storm did not blow inland, but the intense rains they enhanced in the past five days have set off at least a dozen landslides and floods.
In the densely populated region around the Philippines capital Manila, government work and school classes were suspended today after rain flooded many areas overnight, trapping cars in rising floodwater and stranding people in their homes.
Typhoon Gaemi heads towards Taiwan
Wednesday 24 July 2024 04:49
Stuti Mishra
Taiwan is bracing for Typhoon Gaemi today with financial markets closed, flights cancelled and offices shut for the day.
Gaemi, the first typhoon of the season, will make landfall on Taiwan’s northeast coast by early evening on Wednesday and move towards China’s Fujian province by Friday.
Schools and work were suspended across Taiwan, and Taipei’s usually busy streets were empty.
“Tomorrow, please stay at home,” Taipei mayor Chiang Wan-an wrote on his Facebook page yesterday. “Gaemi, the first typhoon to make landfall this year, continues to strengthen.”
Wednesday 24 July 2024 04:33
Stuti Mishra
Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of Typhoon Gaemi which is barrelling towards Taiwan. Stay tuned for the latest updates!