Typhoon Haikui batters Taiwan with heavy rain

Typhoon Haikui made landfall in eastern Taiwan on Sunday, 3 September, where it brought torrential rain and strong winds.

The storm made landfall in coastal Taitung, a county in the mountainous and sparsely populated region of southeast Taiwan.

Thousands of households were left without electricity as Haikui became the first major storm to hit the island directly in four years.

Thousands displaced

Taiwan evacuated nearly 4,000 people from their homes, cancelled over 200 flights, called off classes and declared a day off for workers.

President Tsai Ing-wen asked people to practice caution and said Haikui "will be the first typhoon to make landfall in Taiwan in four years".

The president asked people to avoid going out and not to go up the mountains, to refrain from going towards the coast, fishing or engaging in water sports.

Fong Chin-tzu, the deputy director of the weather bureau said Haikui has "gathered strength since yesterday".

Taiwan has also mobilized its soldiers and other equipment like amphibious vehicles and inflatable rubber boats.

Haikui considered a weaker storm than Saola

According to the Tropical Storm Risk tracker, Typhoon Haikui is expected to be a category 1 or 2 typhoon when it hits Taiwan.

It is considered to be a much weaker storm in comparison to Typhoon Saola, which hit Hong Kong and southern China on Saturday, 2 September.

The storm is expected to cross the Taiwan Strait into China.

Taiwan last experienced a dangerous storm in 2019, when Typhoon Bailu claimed one life.