Today's Edition
YILAN (WAM)
Taiwan hunkered down on Wednesday ahead of the arrival of Typhoon Gaemi, with financial markets and schools closed, people given the day off work, flights cancelled, and the military put on stand-by amid forecasts of torrential rain and strong winds, Reuters reported.
Gaemi, the first typhoon of the season to affect Taiwan, is expected to make landfall on the northeast coast early evening on Wednesday, according to the island's Central Weather Administration.
Currently categorised as a medium-strength typhoon by Taiwan, it is then likely to move across the Taiwan Strait and then hit the southeastern Chinese province of Fujian late Friday afternoon.
The transport ministry said almost all domestic flights had been cancelled, along with 201 international flights. All rail operations will stop from midday (0400GMT), but the high speed rail services connecting northern and southern Taiwan will continue to operate, it added.
Gaemi, with a cloud system spanning the Western Pacific, northern Philippines and parts of the South China Sea, is expected then to turn north, bringing rain to provinces such as Hubei, Henan and even Hebei.
Gaemi and a southwest monsoon brought heavy rain on Wednesday to the Philippine capital region and northern provinces, prompting authorities to halt work and classes, while stock and foreign exchange trading were suspended.
