Super Typhoon Nepartak Comes Ashore in Southeastern Taiwan; Damage Reported in Taitung City

Sean Breslin
Published: July 7,2016

Super Typhoon Nepartak came ashore as a Category 4 equivalent storm in southeastern Taiwan just after 6:30 a.m. local time Friday morning, according to radar.
The massive storm came ashore about 10 miles south of Taitung City, packing winds around 150 mph. It damaged structures and dumped torrential rainfall on parts of the island nation.
Storm trackers rode out the western half of the typhoon as it arrived in Taiwan during the overnight hours and into Friday morning, and reported damage to buildings and numerous trees downed by the massive storm. It was not yet known if the storm was responsible for any injuries or deaths.
(MORE: Check the Forecast for Nepartak)

"I'm hiding in a stairwell, so I'm OK, but it's a different story out there," said storm tracker James Reynolds during a Periscope broadcast Friday morning. He took shelter in a shop just minutes before damaging winds blew out the doors in the entry to the building, nearly sucking the store owner out into the storm.
Forecast to make landfall Friday in eastern Taiwan, President Tsai Ing-wen issued a mandatory evacuation order for Orchid and Green islands, according to Radio New Zealand. Some 3,000 tourists were moved from those two islands, which were battered ahead of Nepartak's expected landfall on the main island.
Hong Kong's two biggest airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways and Dragonair, said they were canceling flights to and from Taiwan scheduled from Thursday evening to Friday afternoon as the storm approaches the island, according to the Associated Press.
"Yes, I am worried about it, same as everyone here," fisherman Chen Chun-po told the AP.
(MORE: Wind Data Off the Charts Well Before Landfall)
Defense minister Feng Shih-kuan told the China Post that the government has deployed 3,000 troops into areas susceptible to flooding across the country. They're expected to help with flood-control measures before, during and after the storm's arrival. A total of 35,800 troops were deployed countrywide to help with relief efforts, according to Taiwan News.
Ferry service from Taiwan's outer islands to the main island was suspended Wednesday and was expected to remain closed until Saturday at the earliest, Taiwan News also reported.

Despite the expected disruption to air travel, transportation minister Ho Chen Tan said he has every reason to believe Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport will not be flooded by the storm, he told Focus Taiwan. Anti-flood gates have been installed and other flood prevention measures are in place at the airport, he said.
The storm comes less than a month after flooding swamped the airport twice, angering the public and leading to accusations that the hub was poorly constructed and improperly maintained, the report added.
(MORE: Birth and Track of a Monster Storm)
All counties in Taiwan, except Kinmen and Lienchiang, announced school and office closures on Friday. The country's financial markets will also be closed on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
Taiwan's eastern coast isn't as heavily populated as other regions of the country, but the jagged terrain raises the threat of mudslides and flooding in that area.
The name "Nepartak" comes from that of a Micronesian warrior.