Typhoon Gaemi approached southern China on Thursday following the death of two individuals in Taiwan. Nine sailors are still missing after their cargo ship sank during stormy conditions.
Before reaching Taiwan, the typhoon had already caused authorities to close schools and offices, halt stock market operations, and evacuate thousands of people on the island.
Prior to hitting Taiwan, Gaemi worsened the monsoon rains in the Philippines, resulting in floods and landslides that claimed six lives. Additionally, an oil tanker carrying 1.4 million liters of oil sank in Manila, prompting authorities to take action to contain the spill.
By Thursday morning, the typhoon had weakened as it moved out to sea, according to Taiwan’s weather agencies.
On Thursday, Taiwan’s fire agency reported the sinking of a cargo ship off the southern coast, forcing the nine Myanmar crew members to abandon ship.
One agency official stated that the visibility at the rescue scene was low and the winds were too strong for immediate action to be taken.
After making landfall in Taiwan on Wednesday, Gaemi resulted in numerous injuries and two confirmed deaths. Cities like Taipei declared a second consecutive day off with school closures, government offices shut down, and flights canceled.
The storm is now heading towards China’s Fujian province, which has suspended train services and issued a flood alert. In the Philippines, clean-up efforts were underway in Manila as residents worked to recover from the storm’s impact.
The frequency and intensity of tropical storms have increased due to climate change, leading to heavy rains, floods, and strong winds in the region.
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