Offices, schools and financial markets shut as Taiwan declared Wednesday a day off, bracing for the arrival of a weakened Typhoon Krathon. 

The typhoon was downgraded overnight from strong to medium under Taiwan's measurement system, but it was still expected to bring storm surges and torrential rain.

All domestic flights and 246 international flights were canceled on Wednesday. The north-south high speed rail line was open, but with limited operations.

Residents of the port city Kaohsiung, which lies in the path of the storm, were told to stay indoors and away from water bodies and mountains.

Locals prepare for torrential rains

Krathon is expected to also hit the city of Tainan before moving up towards capital, Taipei, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

The CWA said Krathon is packing sustained wind speeds of 173 kilometers per hour (107 miles per hour) and gusts of up to 209 kph.

Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai said a weakened Krathon could still pose a danger. 

"If it moves north, the winds will strengthen again, so the threat to Kaohsiung will continue to exist, and people cannot take this lightly," he told reporters.

Authorities in the port city handed out sandbags to protect from flooding and cleared storm drains.

The fire department reported 46 injuries across Taiwan. One person was reported missing in Yunlin county after falling into the sea.

Taiwan's Defense Ministry said it had about 38,000 troops on standby for rescue and aid operations.

"Because of Typhoon Gaemi being quite severe earlier this year, everyone is more cautious and prepared this time around. First be prepared, then we can face this typhoon," Yu Ren-yu, a sales representative, told Reuters news agency while picking up sand bags from a government office.

Typhoon Gaemi, which occurred in July 2024, killed at least 10 people and left hundreds wounded.

The world's largest chipmaker TSMC, which has factories on Taiwan's west coast, said it did not expect a significant effect on its operations. It is a major supplier to Apple and Nvidia.

Typhoon Krathon was approaching from the Philippines, where it caused damage to homes and power outages.

Typhoons are common around this time of the year in Taiwan, but they usually occur along the mountainous, sparsely populated east coast. 

In 1977,  Typhoon Thelma killed 37 people in Taiwan.

Climate change has increased the frequency and intensity of typhoons in the region. 

tg/nm (AFP, Reuters)