Typhoon Kong-rey Devastates Taiwan: Lives Lost and Thousands Displaced

Typhoon Kong-rey, among the fiercest storms in decades to strike Taiwan, caused massive destruction, extensive evacuations, and two fatalities. Authorities strive to restore normalcy amid widespread damage, flight cancellations, and disrupted services, while continuing rescue efforts for missing individuals.

Typhoon Kong-rey, one of the most formidable storms to batter Taiwan in recent decades, made landfall yesterday, unleashing widespread destruction and triggering evacuations and tragic fatalities. As of Friday, Taiwanese authorities reported two deaths, 515 injuries, and four missing persons, according to the Central News agency quoting the Central Emergency Operation Center (CEOC).

A 56-year-old foreign woman succumbed to her injuries after a falling tree struck her vehicle on Provincial Highway 14A near Nantou's Ren'ai Township. In another tragic incident in Taipei's Neihu District, a 48-year-old man was fatally hit by a utility pole, downed by a tree.

Despite efforts to dispatch a helicopter to locate four missing Indigenous hunters in Nantou County, adverse weather thwarted rescue attempts, prompting ground search teams to proceed on foot. The CEOC reported 11,588 people evacuated, with emergency shelters accommodating thousands more, as national defense forces help clear debris and restore normalcy.

The typhoon left approximately 21,000 households without water and over 119,000 still grappling with power outages, though authorities aim for restoration within days. Flight cancellations, ferry suspensions, and school closures continue as Taiwan confronts extensive flooding affecting roads and public infrastructure.

(With inputs from agencies.)