Topan Gaemi Approaching Taiwan, Hundreds Of Flights Canceled

JAKARTA - Taiwan is preparing to face the increasingly strong arrival of Topan Gaemi. The authorities anticipate its impact by closing the financial market, thus canceling flights.

Gaemi, which is expected to be the strongest storm to hit Taiwan in the past eight years, is expected to hit the east coast on Wednesday, July 24 evening, weather authorities said.

They raised their status to a strong typhoon, carrying gusts of wind up to 227 kilometers per hour (141 mph) near their center.

After crossing the Taiwan Strait, it will most likely hit the southeastern China province of Fujian on Thursday, July 25 afternoon.

The financial market will remain closed on Thursday, with work activities and schools suspended for the second day, the government said.

One person was killed by a fallen tree in the south of the city of Kaohsiung, the fire department said. It was also reported that 58 other people were injured.

The next 24 hours will present a very tough challenge, Taiwanese Prime Minister Cho Jung-tai said at a televised emergency response center meeting reported by Reuters.

In the rural area of Yilan, where the typhoon first hit land, the wind and rain got stronger, so restaurants closed because most roads were quiet.

"This could be the biggest typhoon in recent years," the Hung Chun fishing boat captain told Reuters.

"He moved straight to the east coast and if he landed here, the damage would be huge," he added.

The government says more than 4,000 people have been evacuated from mountainous areas of rare populations at high risk of landslides due to heavy rains.

Nearly all domestic flights have been canceled, along with 227 international flights, the transport ministry said.

On Thursday, all domestic flights will be suspended, and 185 international flights will be canceled.

Meanwhile Japanese media said the typhoon also canceled all flights departing from and arriving in Miyako and Ishigaki in Okinawa prefecture, Japan, which is located on the storm route.