Typhoon Gaemi, the strongest storm to hit Taiwan in eight years, made landfall near Nan’ao Township in Yilan County around midnight Wednesday.
With wind speeds reaching 109 miles per hour, the storm caused significant damage and disruptions, as per The New York Times.
Taiwan was on high alert, with schools and businesses closed, over 500 flights canceled, and military drills suspended.
The streets of Taipei saw fewer cars and some areas were flooded, prompting long lines at supermarkets as residents stocked up on essentials.
The storm's impact was felt even before landfall. Two people died and 201 were injured. One woman was struck by a falling wall in Hualien, and another was killed by a fallen tree in southern Taiwan.
Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration had labeled Gaemi a "severe typhoon," the highest on their scale, predicting significant damage due to the storm’s lingering presence.
Power outages affected over 345,000 customers, and Taiwan’s stock exchange closed for two days.
As Gaemi moved away from Taiwan, it headed towards mainland China, where Fujian Province braced for impact with the highest-level weather alert.
The storm previously affected the Philippines, where it caused fatalities and severe flooding, leading to a state of calamity in Manila.
