Locations Affected: Taiwan
Tropical Storm Podul strengthened into a Typhoon on 11 August and has made landfall on the southeastern coast of Taiwan on 13 August. The storm hit Taitung county on the east coast shortly after noon, moving across the southern third of the island at about 36kmph (22mph). Meanwhile, Hong Kong issued a Signal No 1 alert, the lowest on the scale, as the storm is expected to pass through a close range but without a direct hit.
Taiwan’s mountainous east coast, facing the Pacific Ocean, is particularly vulnerable to typhoons. The country is still recovering from Typhoon Danas, which hit the west coast in July and caused flooding, record winds, multiple landslides, and four fatalities.
Impact of the Typhoon
- By the morning of 13 August, the storm was approximately 140 km east-southeast of Taitung County, with impacts already felt in the waters off eastern Taiwan, the Bashi Channel, and the southern part of the Taiwan Strait.
- The Central Weather Administration (CWA) has a land warning in place for Pintung, Taitung, Hualien counties, and Kaohsiung City through 13 August.
- Authorities have shut schools and government offices in nine cities and counties, including Kaohsiung and Tainan, and cancelled 252 domestic and 129 international flights, mostly at Kaohsiung and Taoyuan airports as of 13 August afternoon.
- Around 700 people in Hualien County are being evacuated due to risks of overflow from a natural dam formed by a previous landslide.
- The CWA forecasts up to 600 mm of rain in southern mountainous areas, with extremely heavy rainfall in the east, southeast, and mountainous southern regions.
- Waves of up to five meters and strong coastal winds are affecting the west coast south of Changhua County and the coasts of Hualien and Taitung counties.
Weather Forecast and Outlook on the Situation
Typhoon Podul is expected to continue impacting the densely populated western coast of Taiwan before moving towards China’s Fujian Province on 14 August, likely weakening to a tropical storm after crossing the Central Mountain Range. Heavy showers and thunderstorms are forecast for coastal Guangdong on 14–15 August. Persistent heavy rainfall in Taiwan’s east and southeast could trigger flooding and landslides, leading to infrastructure damage. Power and communication outages are possible. Road closures, blockages, and flight delays or cancellations are likely. Organizations should remain situationally aware and activate contingency plans.
