A strengthening Typhoon Chan-hom could bring stronger gusts and more significant rainfall to northern Taiwan in the afternoon as it moves closer to the island. As of 11 am, Chan-hom was centered 380 kilometers east-northeast of Taipei, moving at a speed of 18 km per hour in a northwesterly direction.
On Friday President Ma Ying-jeou held a video conference with the mayors of northern Taiwanese cities forecast to fall within the storm’s radius. President Ma said he believes that good preparations will minimize the impact brought by the typhoon.
"So far, the rain and winds are not very strong. We see that all government agencies have made extensive preparations. Over the past few years, we have had a lot of experience preparing for the arrival of typhoons," Ma said. "The military has been deployed and is on standby for disaster prevention and rescue missions. I believe that we’ve made good preparations for the typhoon."
A total of 37,774 servicemen have been placed on standby to provide relief and rescue assistance if needed. People living in areas of northern Taiwan that are prone to landslides are set to be evacuated.
Meanwhile, the Central Weather Bureau says that it may lift a land warning for the typhoon before midnight depending on the storm's trajectory.