Taiwan Braces for Typhoon Gaemi: Annual Drills and Services Affected

Taiwan has curtailed its annual Han Kuang military drills and prepared for emergency situations in response to Typhoon Gaemi. The typhoon is expected to make landfall on Taiwan's northeast coast, bringing with it strong winds and torrential rain. The government has issued land warnings and cancelled various transport services in anticipation.

Taiwan curtailed its annual Han Kuang war games and readied emergency equipment on Tuesday as Typhoon Gaemi barrelled towards the island, with the government issuing a land warning given the expected strong winds and torrential rain. According to the island's Central Weather Administration, Gaemi, the first typhoon of the season to affect Taiwan, is expected to make landfall on the northeast coast between sometime on Wednesday night and the early hours of Thursday.

Currently categorised as a medium strength typhoon by Taiwan, it is then likely to move across the Taiwan Strait and hit the southeastern Chinese province of Fujian in the early hours of Friday. Taiwan's government has warned that the typhoon is most likely to make landfall in the north, east, and northeast regions of the island.

Some mountainous central and southern counties are expected to experience up to 1,800 mm (70 inches) of rain during the typhoon, the weather administration said. More than 1,000 rubber boats have been put on standby for potential flooding, and emergency supplies have been rushed to remote areas. The annual Han Kuang military drills have been curtailed, including the cancellation of fighter jet exercises on the east coast. The transport ministry has cancelled all ferries to Green Island and Orchid Island, as well as domestic flights to both islands for Wednesday.

(With inputs from agencies.)