TAIPEI: Nearly 2,000 people in Taiwan will be evacuated from their homes as Typhoon Podul approaches the island.
The typhoon is expected to make landfall along the southeast coast on Wednesday before crossing into the Taiwan Strait.
Average wind speeds could reach 133 kilometres per hour, with gusts up to 166kph, according to the Central Weather Administration.
Around 31,000 soldiers are on standby to assist with rescue and relief efforts, the defence ministry confirmed.
Domestic flights for Wednesday have been cancelled by local carriers Uni Air and Mandarin Airlines.
Eastern counties Hualien and Taitung, central Chiayi, and southern regions face the highest risk, forecaster Chu Mei-lin warned.
“Everyone should be aware of the threat of strong winds and heavy rains from tomorrow until early morning on the 14th,“ Chu said.
Nearly 700 people will be evacuated from Hualien, while 1,100 may be relocated from Kaohsiung’s mountainous areas.
Kaohsiung and Pingtung could see 400-600 millimetres of rain from Tuesday to Thursday, another forecaster noted.
Other regions may receive over 350mm of rainfall.
Central and southern Taiwan are still recovering from Typhoon Danas and recent torrential rains.
Typhoon Danas killed two people and injured hundreds in early July after dumping over 500mm of rain.
Subsequent heavy rains from late July to early August brought Taiwan’s 2024 rainfall to 2.1 metres in some areas.
The extreme weather left five dead, three missing, and 78 injured, disaster officials reported.
Taiwan frequently experiences tropical storms between July and October.
Scientists warn climate change is intensifying weather patterns, increasing flood risks. – AFP
