Typhoon Kalmaegi heads for Taiwan by Steph Ball
Typhoon Kalmaegi is expected to hit Taiwan later today bringing torrential rain and damaging winds.
Kalmaegi has already left its mark on the northern Philippines over the last few days. Although not making landfall, it helped to intensify the southwest monsoon over the islands. Thousands have been affected by floods in the Llocos and Cagayan Valley regions, with heavy rains also affecting Luzon.
On Wednesday Kalmaegi strengthened into a typhoon prompting the issue of both land and sea warnings for Taiwan. It is the seventh storm of the 2008 Pacific Typhoon Season and the first typhoon to hit Taiwan since Krosa last October. Thursday morning and Kalmaegi is now lying some 140 miles southeast of Taipei, with winds having strengthened to over 100mph (161km/h).
The current forecast from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) has Kalmaegi continuing to strengthen before it makes landfall later today in Taiwan’s northeast, near Taipei. Its impact is expected to be strongest over Thursday night and Friday morning. Residents have been advised to take necessary measures against the ensuing rain and to stay away from Taiwan’s eastern shores.
After Taiwan, Kalmaegi is expected to tear northwards hitting China’s Zhejiang province as early as Friday. Further updates on the typhoon will appear here.
