Typhoon Haikui strikes eastern Taiwan, causes evacuations and power outages

Taipei: Typhoon Haikui has made landfall in eastern Taiwan, marking the first major storm to directly hit the island in four years. The typhoon brought heavy rains, strong winds, and power outages as it swept across the region.

Nearly 4,000 people were evacuated from high-risk areas, and hundreds of flights were canceled, along with business closures in anticipation of the storm's arrival. Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau confirmed that the typhoon had made landfall in coastal Taitung, a mountainous county in the less densely populated eastern part of the island, reported AFP.

Residents sought shelter indoors as powerful gusts of wind uprooted trees and sent water tanks flying through the air. Across the island, more than 21,000 households lost power, with about 9,000 still without electricity as the typhoon hit.

The last major storm to hit Taiwan was Typhoon Bailu in 2019, which resulted in one fatality. This time, President Tsai Ing-wen warned of the risk of landslides, as Haikui is expected to cross the Central Mountain Range running north to south of the island.

Despite the disruptions and damage caused by the typhoon, authorities reported only two minor injuries in Hualien County, where a fallen tree struck a car. While Haikui's impact was significant, it was considered less severe than Typhoon Saola, which triggered the highest threat level in Hong Kong and southern China before weakening into a tropical storm.

As the storm continues to move across the region, residents and authorities are taking precautions to ensure safety and minimise the impact of Typhoon Haikui.