On the eve of Typhoon 'Fenghuang’s' approach, authorities in Taiwan have reported that more than 3,000 people have been evacuated.
According to reports from Taiwan’s Economic Daily News and Liberty Times, the super typhoon 'Fenghuang', which caused six deaths in the Philippines, is expected to make landfall on November 12th near Kaohsiung Port on Taiwan’s southwestern coast, bringing heavy rainfall. The typhoon will then sweep across Taiwan’s southern tip before passing through sparsely populated Taitung and Hualien counties en route to the Pacific Ocean.
According to official reports, Taiwanese authorities have ordered a full evacuation of residents in Guangfu Township, Hualien—previously devastated by Typhoon 'Koinu'. Altogether, 3,337 people from four counties and cities have been relocated to safer areas. All schools and offices in Hualien and Yilan counties were closed on November 11th.
On Tuesday, Taiwan’s Premier Cho Jung-tai told media before addressing the Legislative Yuan that the central government issued a red alert for Guangfu Township, Hualien, on the morning of the 10th, followed by a maritime warning at 5:30 p.m. that day, and a land warning at 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday. He urged local governments to coordinate their plans based on the information released by the central emergency command center.
In describing the evacuation situation in Guangfu Township, Cho Jung-tai said that so far, a total of 4,150 people have moved vertically to safety, 2,148 have been evacuated, and 659 have been sheltered and resettled. He expressed hope that local governments would provide proper care for all evacuees and those in shelters, and that the central government would offer necessary assistance at all times.
On Tuesday, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te posted on Facebook, stating that due to the combined influence of the typhoon’s periphery and the northeast monsoon, there was a notable shift in weather conditions across Taiwan starting that day, with the Central Weather Administration also issuing both maritime and land typhoon alerts in the morning.
Lai added that some counties and cities had already announced work and class suspensions, and that he would visit the Central Disaster Response Center at noon to assess preparations in various regions.
He pointed out that the path of Typhoon 'Fenghuang' is a so-called 'piercing typhoon', and that it is extremely rare for a typhoon to form in November. He urged everyone not to venture into mountainous or coastal dangerous areas and to make typhoon preparations in advance. The central and local governments will work closely together and remain on high alert.