Typhoon “Krathon” makes landfall in Taiwan, dropping over 1 600 mm (66 inches) of rain over mountainous regions
Typhoon “Krathon” made landfall in Kaohsiung’s Xiaogang district of southern Taiwan at 12:40 LT (04:40 UTC) on October 3, 2024, with maximum sustained winds of 126 km/h (78 mph). The slow-moving storm, affecting the island for five days, dumped torrential rains, with mountainous parts receiving up to 1 690 mm (66.5 inches) of rain. At least 2 people have been killed and 129 injured.
Image credit: CWB
Typhoon “Krathon” made landfall in Kaohsiung’s Xiaogang District, Taiwan, a major southern port city, at 04:40 UTC on Thursday, October 3, with maximum sustained winds of 126 km/h (78 mph) and gusts up to 162 km/h (101 mph).
The system approached the island at a slow speed of about 4 km/h (2.5 mph), dropping a huge amount of rain — as much as 1 690 mm (66.5 inches) over mountainous regions in just five days.
As of 15:00 LT (09:00 UTC) on Thursday, Krathon was blamed for the deaths of 2 people. 219 people have been injured and 1 person remains missing, according to the Central Emergency Operation Center.
Infrastructure has been severely damaged, with reports of highways being blocked by fallen debris, buildings collapsing, and thousands of people experiencing power shortages.
Schools, government offices, and domestic flights have also been halted as part of the island’s emergency measures.
Heavy damage on the east coast has been recorded in Pingtung and Taitung counties. The storm has also caused devastation in Hualien and other hilly locations prone to mudslides and landslides.
Local media have described Typhoon “Krathon” as unusual because it struck Taiwan’s west coast, an area that typically sees fewer typhoons compared to the mountainous eastern side. Typhoons generally approach from the east, where the terrain often disrupts their strength before they reach the western parts of the island.
Nearly 40 000 military personnel were placed on standby to help with rescue and recovery efforts. Evacuations have been conducted in risky areas, particularly hilly and low-lying areas.
At 15:00 UTC on October 3, the center of Tropical Storm “Krathon” was located 280 km (174 miles) of Taipei, Taiwan. The system was moving E at 4 km/h (2 mph), according to the JTWC.
Krathon stalled right after landfall to a speed of 4 km/h (2 mph) and, as a result of interaction with rugged terrain of south-central Taiwan, its current intensity dropped to 83 km/h (52 mph).
The system is forecast to track northwestward, while continuing to weaken down to 37 km/h (23 mph) by 15:00 UTC on October 4, and therefore dissipate prior to reaching the Strait of Taiwan. Remnants of the system will be absorbed into the predominant northeasterly flow associated with an ongoing cold surge flow, JTWC forecasters stated.
The numerical model track guidance is currently displaying very erratic guidance with nearly 180-degree track direction variability, indicating a further weakening of the vortex. JTWC track is therefore assessed with low confidence, based on the subtropical ridge steering pattern. Intensity guidance, however, remains in good agreement, with all models indicating further weakening and dissipation by 15:00 UTC on October 4. As a result, the JTWC intensity forecast is placed with medium confidence.
The typhoon’s previous trail of destruction includes the northern Philippine islands, where according to authorities, four people were killed and at least 5 000 were displaced.
Updates
18:44 UTC, October 9
At least four people have been reported dead in Taiwan due to Typhoon “Krathon,” including two people who were earlier reported missing and found dead on October 5.
At least 719 people have been reported injured, one person remains missing, and over 9 000 damage reports have been filed in connection with the storm.
Around 436 634 houses lost power during the storm, and as of October 6, only 1 106 homes in Kaohsiung remained without power. Water supply has been restored for all 608 073 homes that had lost water access during the storm.
Agricultural damage from the storm is estimated to be nearly NT$390 million (US$12.06 million), according to the Central Operations Emergency Center as of October 6.
Kaohsiung City and Pingtung County were the worst-hit areas, with Kaohsiung reporting NT$238.6 million (US$7.38 million) in damages, while Pingtung reported NT$88.9 million (US$2.75 million).
Bananas, papayas, jujubes, guavas, and wax apples were the most affected crops, according to the Ministry of Agriculture
References:
1 Typhoon Krathon makes landfall on Taiwan, packing fierce winds and torrential rain – Simina Mistreanu – AP – October 3, 2024
2 Taiwan: ‘Weird’ Typhoon Krathon lands on west coast – DW – October 3, 2024
3 Tropical Storm 20W (Krathon) Warning #26 – JTWC – Issued at 15:00 UTC on October 3, 2024
4 Typhoon Krathon agricultural losses estimated at NT$390 million – Focus Taiwan – October 6, 2024
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