Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Southern Taiwan was focused on recovery efforts Friday following extensive flooding and damage from Typhoon Krathon, which hit the major port city of Kaohsiung, while most of the island resumed normal operations, and financial markets re-opened.
Accordin to Reuters, Typhoon Krathon, a category 1 typhoon, slammed into southwestern Taiwan on Thursday October 3, bringing heavy rain and flooding, cutting power to about 178,000 homes and causing two deaths in the island’s east
Krathon, now downgraded to a tropical depression, made landfall in Kaohsiung, causing severe flooding, blowing out windows in some buildings, and scattering debris across streets as the region experienced record-breaking winds.
While much of Taiwan has returned to work, local governments in Kaohsiung and neighboring Pingtung County declared a fourth consecutive day off to allow emergency crews to continue clearing floodwaters, removing downed trees, and restoring access to blocked roads.
“We hope to restore transportation, water, and electricity supplies as quickly as possible so that daily life and work can resume,” Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai explained, as stated from Reuters.
The city government is working to clear more than 2,000 trees that have fallen on roads. Despite the damage, only two injuries have been reported.
In Kaohsiung, a city of 2.7 million people, cranes were used to remove trees and traffic signs that had been knocked down by the storm. Some roads remained impassable, forcing detours for both vehicles and pedestrians.
While Taiwan typically experiences typhoons hitting its rugged eastern coast, Typhoon Krathon took an unusual path, slamming into the flatter, more densely populated western region.
Until Friday, nearly 100,000 households—primarily in Kaohsiung and Pingtung—were still without power, and 129,000 homes in Kaohsiung were without water. The fire department confirmed that two men on the east coast had died before the typhoon made landfall, one person remained missing, and 667 people were reported injured.
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Despite the widespread damage, Taiwan began reopening its vital transportation networks. The north-south high-speed rail line resumed service, along with most regular train routes, though two branch lines remained closed. Air travel disruptions persisted, with 15 international and 88 domestic flights canceled.
Workers at Kaohsiung port, one of Taiwan’s busiest, worked to clear freight containers that had been blown off their stacks to prevent further disruption to operations, according to the transport ministry. Kaohsiung airport also suffered damage to two air bridges, while landing aids were washed away at Orchid Island’s airport. Both airports remained operational.
As southern Taiwan continued its recovery from the Typhon Krathon aftermath. The island’s government and local authorities focused on restoring basic services and infrastructure, ensuring that life returns to normal as quickly as possible.
(Raidi/Agung)
