TAIWAN BATTENS DOWN FOR TYPHOON MARIA

Schools and offices in 5 cities closed, domestic, international flights cancelled

SCHOOLS and offices in Taiwan were closed yesterday and flights cancelled as Typhoon Maria churns towards Taiwan bringing torrential rains and powerful winds.

Maria was 500km east of the northeastern coastal town of Yilan, with gusts of up to 190kph as at 10am, the weather bureau said.

Its impact was expected to be the strongest from yesterday night to early today, with downpours up to 500mm forecast in some areas, the bureau added.

Officials warned of possible floods and mudslides.

Authorities announced that offices and schools would close in five cities, including Yilan, where strong waves have started to pound the shore.

Local television footage showed farmers in Yilan rushing to their fields harvest scallions, the county’s most famous produce.

Fishermen in coastal Keeling also brought in their catch and secured their boats ahead of the storm, one day after dozens of ferry services to outlying islands were cancelled.

Taiwan’s UNI Air cancelled about 70 domestic flights on yesterday, while two other airlines cancelled flights to the Japanese island of Okinawa.

Cathay Pacific said it had cancelled more than a dozen flights between Hong Kong and here, as well as from Hong Kong to Okinawa yesterday and today.

Premier William Lai warned local authorities and the public to “remain vigilant” for the first typhoon of the season in Taiwan.

He urged people to stay indoors and cooperate with the government’s disaster prevention plans.

The typhoon will not make a direct hit if it continues on its current trajectory, which would see it skim off northern Taiwan, according to the weather bureau.

Taiwan is frequently hit by typhoons in the summer. Last year, more than 100 people were injured when Typhoon Nesat battered the island, causing flooding and power outages.