TYPHOON CLOSES TAIWAN Schools, offices shut ahead of island wide typhoon

Posted on 09/27/2016 | About Taiwan

Taiwan closed schools and offices as a large typhoon with 162 kilometres- (100 miles-) per-hour winds approached the mountainous island Tuesday. Authorities raised alert levels because Typhoon Megi's bands of wind and rain were expected to cover the entire island, which is prone to landslides and flooding.

Megi was expected to make landfall in the evening and pass over the island's steep central mountain range during the night.
The Central Weather Bureau said Megi is 500 kilometres (310 miles) in diameter and its winds will gust up to 198 kilometres per hour.
National Fire Agency Director-General Chen Wen-lung said that as of Tuesday morning 5,336 people were evacuated from mountainous areas that are prone to landslides and flooding. More than half went to shelters and the rest to the homes of family or friends, Chen said. Schools and offices were closed across the island.
Megi is the fourth typhoon of the year to hit Taiwan.
Flights were cancelled at Taiwan's Taoyuan International Airport, while high-speed rail and most other trains also stopped operations.
On the Chinese coast, about 160 kilometres (100 miles) from Taiwan, fishing boats were ordered back to port.