Typhoon Doksuri smacks southern Taiwan as China braces for landfall

Taipei, July 28

Typhoon Doksuri toppled trees and cut power to hundreds of thousands of homes in southern Taiwan, prompting authorities to shut business for a second day and warn of extreme winds as the storm makes its final push to southeastern China on Friday.

As of 7:15 a.m. (23:15 GMT) Typhoon Doksuri, categorised at the second-strongest typhoon level by Taiwan’s weather bureau, headed towards China’s southeastern province of Fujian after crossing the Taiwan Strait with maximum winds of 191 kmh (118 mph).

Businesses and schools were shut for the second day in southern counties of Taiwan including the major port city of Kaohsiung amid warnings of landslides and floods.

A “hurricane-force-wind” alert has been issued in the Taiwanese islands of Penghu and Kinmen, where residents were warned to brace for gusts of more than 155 kmh (96 mph).

The storm had cut power to more than 186,000 homes across Taiwan and downed hundreds of trees in Kaohsiung. Rainfall of more than 1 metre was recorded in the mountainous eastern and southern parts of the island.

More than 300 domestic and international flights were suspended and railway services between southern and eastern Taiwan were halted.

A ferry sank near the Philippine capital of Manila after passengers alarmed by strong winds rushed to one side of the boat, overturning it. As many as 36 people have been killed this week during Doksuri’s transit off the northern Philippines.