Tropical Storm Danas is bearing down on southern Taiwan, prompting emergency preparations and school and office closures across several counties.
Typhoon Danas: Taiwan rescuers on high alert as tropic storm makes landfall
While the eye of the storm may not directly strike the island, forecasters say the surrounding storm bands are already bringing heavy rain and dangerous conditions.
According to Focus Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) issued a land warning at 20:30 (14:30 SAST) Saturday for areas including Tainan, Kaohsiung, Chiayi City, and Chiayi and Pingtung Counties.
The weather warning also includes the outlying Penghu County. These areas are expected to be within the outer edges of the storm in under 18 hours.
The storm formed near the Pratas Islands in the South China Sea early Saturday morning and has grown stronger since then. As of Saturday evening, the storm’s centre was located around 330 kilometres southwest of Taiwan’s southernmost point, Cape Eluanbi, and was moving slowly in a north-northeast direction at speeds of 10 to 20 kilometres per hour.
The storm is packing sustained winds of 83 kilometres per hour, with gusts reaching up to 108 kilometres per hour. Liu Yu-chi, a forecaster from the CWA, said that although the centre of the storm might stay offshore, the outer rain bands and wind will affect Taiwan.
“The storm is showing signs of getting stronger,” Liu warned.
What is a Typhoon?
A typhoon is a type of tropical cyclone that forms over the warm waters of the western Pacific Ocean. It is similar to hurricanes and cyclones found in other parts of the world.
Typhoons are formed when moist air over warm ocean water rises and creates a low-pressure area.
As the system grows, it begins to rotate due to Earth’s spin, and strong winds and heavy rain develop.
Taiwan often experiences powerful storms during the summer typhoon season. The island’s mountainous terrain and location in the Pacific make it vulnerable to heavy rains, flooding, and landslides during such events.
As Danas approaches, areas in southern and eastern Taiwan are expected to face the most severe weather, including intense rain and possibly localised flooding.
Schools and government offices will be closed on Sunday in Tainan, Kaohsiung, Chiayi City, and both Chiayi and Pingtung Counties. Penghu County will shut down operations from noon on Sunday.
Forecasts indicate that Danas will pass through the Taiwan Strait between late Sunday and early Monday.
During this time, brief but intense thunderstorms and heavy rain are expected across much of the island, particularly south of Chiayi and in Hualien and Taitung counties on the eastern coast.
Authorities remain on high alert, urging residents in affected regions to stay indoors and monitor weather updates.
