Typhoon Podul Hits Taiwan: Schools Closed Amid Storm Warning

Taipei, Aug 13 (AP) Typhoon Podul made its presence felt in Taiwan this Wednesday, prompting authorities to close schools and government offices due to the threat of heavy rain causing further harm to agriculture in the island's southeastern region. The storm arrived in Taitung County, located on the east coast, just after noon. It traversed the southern third of the island at a pace of roughly 36 kilometers per hour. The Central Weather Administration predicted that it would journey out into the Taiwan Strait and toward China by late afternoon. While there were indicators of high waves and strong winds across much of the southeast, significant rainfall had yet to occur, according to the agency. These types of storms typically impact the east coast heavily before diminishing in speed and intensity as they pass over the Central Mountain Range, heading toward the Chinese coast. Podul measured 120 kilometers in diameter and was anticipated to expand in size while simultaneously losing strength as it moved westward across the Taiwan Strait. The storm's effects were concentrated well to the south of the capital, Taipei, including Taiwan's principal international airport and its high-tech industrial regions. Roughly a dozen flights traveling toward the storm's path were delayed or canceled. Regions such as the counties and cities of Tainan, Kaohsiung, Chiayi, Yunlin, Pingtung, and Hualien on the east coast, as well as the Penghu island group in the Taiwan Strait, bore the brunt of the storm. Rain-induced flooding and landslides are common consequences of typhoons in Taiwan, often damaging fruit and other cash crops. The central and southern parts of Taiwan have been severely affected by heavy rains in recent weeks, which ravaged crops but resulted in minimal casualties, while also causing power outages in rural areas, which took weeks to fix. Recovery crews have been placed on high alert. (AP) GRS GRS

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