Southern Taiwan on Friday repaired the damages caused by floods and high winds after Typhoon Krathon struck the island, impacting major metropolitan areas. Meanwhile, financial markets resumed operations as the rest of Taiwan returned to work.
Krathon, which made landfall in the southwestern port city of Kaohsiung, has now been downgraded to a tropical depression, after it caused streets to flood, shattered windows in several buildings, and sent debris flying with its record-breaking winds.
While work resumed earlier on the day, the local governments in Kaohsiung and neighboring Pingtung county declared another day off work, which was the fourth in a row. This decision was taken to remove downed trees, pump out floodwaters and remove detritus from roads.
In Kaohsiung, a city housing almost 2.7 million people, cranes were deployed to remove downed trees and traffic signs, with some roads blocked and drivers and pedestrians diverted.
In a post on the social media platform Facebook, Kaohsiung mayor Chen Chi-mai said that some parts of the city got more rain than during the last storm, Typhoon Gaemi, in July.
“Given the long duration of the storm, coupled with the strong winds and heavy rain, the city government is doing its best to repair the damage,” he wrote.
Tsai Ming-an, a 51-year old engineer said that his house was flooded about 20 cm, covering his entire house on the ground floor.
“I have never seen winds like that. It was so bad,” Tsai added.
Taiwan is almost always hit by typhoons at the mountainous and sparsely populated east coast facing the Pacific Ocean, Krathon, however, unusually struck its flat west coast. Almost all of Kaohsiung and Pingtung power remained down for 100,000 households.
The fire department reported that the death toll remained constant at two, both of whom died on the east coast prior to the typhoon’s landfall. Additionally, one person is missing, and 667 were injured.
Taiwan’s north-south high speed rail line reopened as ordinary, apart from two branch lines. However, air transport was disrupted, with 13 international and 85 domestic flights canceled.
According to the transport ministry, some freight containers were blown off their stacks at Kaohsiung port and were cleared by workers to ensure smooth operations.
Kaohsiung airport suffered damage to two air bridges, while the airport on the outlying Orchid Island had landing aids washed away, though both facilities remained open, the ministry added.
The government also said investigations were conducted for the Pingtung hospital fire that broke out as the typhoon was bearing down, killing nine people.
