Tropical Storm Danas left a path of devastation in Taiwan, claiming two lives and injuring more than 600 as it advances towards eastern China, issuing comprehensive flood warnings and emergency action.
The storm lashed southern Taiwan on Sunday and Monday with historical winds of up to 220 kmph, Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration said. Torrential rain and fierce gusts toppled over 650 power poles, knocked trees down, and resulted in general damage to infrastructure. A car was crushed by a falling tree in Tainan, killing one, and another victim died after being hit by debris. Emergency services attended hundreds of calls, and more than 600 people were treated for injuries caused by the storm.
Images of underwater streets, destroyed rooftops, and rescue operations from flooded cars were on Taiwanese television. Southern schools and companies such as Tainan and Kaohsiung were closed on Monday because of power loss and disruptions to transportation.
As Danas travels northwestward over the South China Sea, Chinese weather authorities anticipate that it will reach the shore near Taizhou in Zhejiang province early Tuesday morning. Storm winds around the center are maintaining a speed of 80 kmph (50 mph), with estimated rains of 100 to 250 mm over a 650-kilometer area from Fuzhou to Hangzhou.
Zhejiang and Fujian authorities have suspended more than 100 ferry routes and suspended coastal development projects. Evacuation centers and emergency teams have been deployed, especially in Jiangxi province, where hilly country increases the chances of landslides and flash floods.
Danas is the second major tropical storm to menace China in three weeks, after Cyclone Wutip struck in late June. Experts advise that global warming is making such weather systems more frequent and powerful, presenting increasing dangers for densely populated coastal areas throughout East Asia.
