Typhoon Dujuan has begun to disintegrate over eastern China after
unleashing its full force on the neighbouring island of Taiwan. At least
two people were killed and more than 300 injured as the typhoon tore
across central Taiwan on Monday night.
Aljazeera reports:
Dujuan struck Taiwan as the equivalent of a Category 4
storm (on the five point Saffir-Simpson scale).The highest gust recorded
on the island was 246km/h, 30km south of Yilan City. Torrential rain,
with as much as 750mm in some areas, resulted in flash flooding and
mudslides. At least 1.8 million homes were without power, although 1.3
million of those have since been reconnected. Around 12,000 people were
evacuated from their homes in advance of Dujuan’s arrival and this may
have contributed to the very low death toll.
The track of Dujuan was slightly further to the south than predicted,
meaning that Taipei missed the very worst of the weather, although the
city’s famous Taipei 101 skyscraper suffered some damage. Dujuan
weakened as it moved across the cooler waters of the Taiwan Strait
before making landfall between Putian and Xiamen, China, at 00:00 GMT on
Tuesday.
Dujuan’s track and strength is very similar to that of August’s
Typhoon Soudelor, which caused at least 26 deaths in China and estimated
damage and financial losses of $3bn. Although Dujuan’s winds are
weakening rapidly, it is likely that flooding rain will cause disruption
and a threat to life for the next few days.
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