Written By Lisa Murimi
Taiwan is preparing for the arrival of powerful Typhoon Gaemi, expected to make landfall on the island’s northeast coast late Wednesday.
The storm, the first typhoon of the season to affect Taiwan, has already caused significant disruptions.
In anticipation of Gaemi’s impact, Taiwan has canceled parts of its largest annual military drills. Nearly all domestic flights and over 200 international flights have been canceled, according to the transport ministry.
Gaemi, packing winds up to 240 km/h (150 mph), equivalent to a high category 4 hurricane, brought relentless rains to the Philippines en route to Taiwan. Floods turned streets into rivers in Manila, causing widespread chaos.
The Taiwanese government has declared Wednesday a typhoon day, suspending work and classes island-wide, except for the Kinmen islands. Despite the suspension, chip manufacturing giant TSMC assured the BBC that their plants would remain operational.
The typhoon is expected to cross northern Taiwan, including Taipei, before moving into the Taiwan Strait and striking Fujian, China, on Thursday. Officials warn that Gaemi’s main threat lies in the vast amount of moisture it carries, with the Central Weather Administration issuing a land warning for all of Taiwan.
Authorities predict over a meter of rainfall in the central and southern mountains within 24 hours, raising concerns about landslides and flash flooding in regions destabilized by a recent earthquake. In Taipei, heavy rains and strong winds have led to a rush on supermarkets as residents prepare for possible shortages and price hikes.
The threat from Gaemi also forced the government to cancel parts of its planned week-long Hang Kuang military drills, initially touted as the “most realistic ever.”
Meanwhile, the Philippines continues to grapple with Gaemi’s aftermath, with Metro Manila under a state of calamity. Work and classes were halted, and stock and foreign exchange trading suspended as heavy rains persisted.
Footage circulating on social media showed cars floating in chest-deep waters and commuters stranded on bus roofs, highlighting the storm’s severe impact. The state weather bureau expects the rains to continue until Thursday.
