Taiwan hunkered down on Wednesday ahead of the arrival of Typhoon Gaemi, with financial markets closed, people given the day off work, flights cancelled, and the military put on stand-by amid forecasts of torrential rain and strong winds.
Gaemi, the first typhoon of the season to affect Taiwan, is expected to make landfall on the northeast coast early evening on Wednesday, according to the island's Central Weather Administration.
Currently categorised as a medium-strength typhoon by Taiwan, it is then likely to move across the Taiwan Strait and then hit the southeastern Chinese province of Fujian late afternoon Friday.
In rural Yilan county, where the typhoon will first hit land, wind and rain gathered strength, shutting breakfast eateries and roads mostly emptied.
"This could be the biggest typhoon in recent years," fishing boat captain Hung Chun told Reuters, adding Yilan's Suao harbour was packed with boats seeking shelter.
@ISIDEWITH4mos4MO
How would you feel if you had to leave your home due to an approaching typhoon, leaving behind everything uncertain?
@ISIDEWITH4mos4MO
Imagine your community was directly in the path of Typhoon Gaemi; how would you prioritize what to save if you had limited time?
@ISIDEWITH4mos4MO
What are your thoughts on the effectiveness of a country's response to natural disasters like Typhoon Gaemi in terms of protecting its citizens?
@ISIDEWITH4mos4MO
If you were in charge of a team tasked with preparing your town for Typhoon Gaemi, what measures would you implement first and why?
@ISIDEWITH4mos4MO
Considering the potential devastation by Typhoon Gaemi, how important do you think it is for communities to invest in disaster preparedness and why?
