TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A Central Weather Bureau (CWB) land warning at 7:15 a.m. on Thursday morning (Oct. 5) says Typhoon Koinu is in the waters southeast of Eluanbi and slowly moving westward.
Its storm circle has enveloped Hualien County, Taitung County and all areas south of Taichung.
As of 7 a.m., the eye of Typhoon Koinu was located about 20 km west of Elanbi, moving west-northwest at a speed of 12 kph, per the CWB. It had a 250 km radius and was packing maximum sustained winds of 162 kph and gusts of up to 198 kph.
The CWB continues to issue sea and land warnings for Koinu. The areas covered by the land warning include: Yilan County, Hualien County, Taitung County, Nantou County, Hsinchu County, Miaoli County, Taichung City, Changhua County, Yunlin County, Chiayi County, Chiayi City, Tainan City, Kaohsiung City, Pingtung County, and Penghu County.
The sea warning areas include the Bashi Channel, Dongsha Islands, offshore areas of northeast Taiwan, offshore areas of southeast Taiwan, the north Taiwan Strait, and the south Taiwan Strait.
According to the weather bureau, the typhoon is expected to pass through central Taiwan, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to the Hengchun Peninsula and the southern tip of Taitung in the morning. The areas it passes through are likely to experience 14 Beaufort winds or higher and heavy rainfall.
The northern coast of Keelung City, areas south of Taoyuan City, the open coastal areas in the east, as well as Penghu County, Kinmen County, and Lienchiang County, are expected to have 9 to 12 Beaufort winds. Western inland areas and other open coastal areas will also experience relatively strong gusts of wind.
The CWB has also issued heavy rain advisories for 13 counties and cities in Taiwan. It has issued a torrential rain advisory for Taipei City, Pingtung County, Hualien County, and Taitung County.
The weather bureau has issued an extremely heavy rain advisory for New Taipei city, Taoyuan city, Taichung city, Kaohsiung city, and Yilan County. It has also announced a heavy rain advisory for Keelung city, Hsinchu County, Miaoli County, and Nantou County.
Due to the influence of the typhoon and storm surge, low-lying coastal areas in the southeastern and southern regions should be alert to the possibility of seawater surges and flooding.
The CWB advises the public that on Thursday, there will be significant waves and rough conditions in the seas near Taiwan and the Bashi Channel. Coastal areas may see waves of 4 to 5 meters or more, especially around Orchid Island and Green Island, where waves may exceed 6 meters.
There are also large waves along the northern coast of Keelung, the eastern half of Taiwan (including Orchid Island and Green Island), the Hengchun Peninsula, and Lienchiang County. It is advisable to avoid seaside activities in these areas.
