Typhoon Dujuan has begun to disintegrate over eastern China after unleashing its full force on the neighbouring island of Taiwan. At least two people were killed and more than 300 injured as the typhoon tore across central Taiwan on Monday night.
Aljazeera reports:
Dujuan struck Taiwan as the equivalent of a Category 4 storm (on the five point Saffir-Simpson scale).The highest gust recorded on the island was 246km/h, 30km south of Yilan City. Torrential rain, with as much as 750mm in some areas, resulted in flash flooding and mudslides. At least 1.8 million homes were without power, although 1.3 million of those have since been reconnected. Around 12,000 people were evacuated from their homes in advance of Dujuan’s arrival and this may have contributed to the very low death toll.
The track of Dujuan was slightly further to the south than predicted, meaning that Taipei missed the very worst of the weather, although the city’s famous Taipei 101 skyscraper suffered some damage. Dujuan weakened as it moved across the cooler waters of the Taiwan Strait before making landfall between Putian and Xiamen, China, at 00:00 GMT on Tuesday.
Dujuan’s track and strength is very similar to that of August’s Typhoon Soudelor, which caused at least 26 deaths in China and estimated damage and financial losses of $3bn. Although Dujuan’s winds are weakening rapidly, it is likely that flooding rain will cause disruption and a threat to life for the next few days.
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