The Central Weather Administration (CWA) issued a sea warning for Typhoon Gaemi on Monday and followed up with a land warning for parts of Taiwan at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday. New Taipei, Yilan, Hualien, and Taitung are among the counties and cities included in the scope of the land warning.
Gaemi is moving north-northwest at 22 kilometers per hour (kph) and the maximum wind speed near its center has increased to 144 kph; its radius has also expanded to 200 kilometers. The CWA predicts the center of the typhoon will make landfall in Yilan County early Thursday morning, bringing more than a meter of projected rainfall to the mountainous areas of northern, northeastern, central and southern Taiwan.
Ahead of Gaemi’s arrival, the Economic Affairs Ministry has set up a secondary disaster emergency response team, and the Water Resources Agency (WRA) has strengthened dredging operations in bottleneck sections. As the annual astronomical tide surge coincides with the typhoon, the WRA has strengthened contact with local governments in areas at greatest risk of flooding.
The Transportation Ministry reminds the public to take heed of sea and air travel information, as many domestic flights and ferries have been or will be cancelled. The Maritime and Port Bureau also advises the public to avoid traveling to outlying islands during typhoons as they might be stranded there due to the suspension of ferry services.