Taiwan girds for compromising Hurricane Krathon, closes down for second day

Taiwan on Thursday girded itself for the arrival of a weakening Hurricane Krathon which has actually eliminated 2 people so far, as the island shut down for a second day with numerous flights grounded and financial markets closed.

Krathon is forecast to make landfall around midday at the significant southwestern port city of Kaohsiung, as a much weaker classification 2 tropical cyclone, though the government is cautioning of torrential rain and storm rises along the coast.

Shortly after dawn, locals in Kaohsiung, a city of some 2.7 million individuals, received text warnings telling them to seek shelter from gusts more than 160 kph (100 miles per hour).

The fire department reported 2 deaths as the approaching typhoon brought torrential rains across the island, both on the mountainous and sparsely inhabited east coast - a man who fell while cutting a tree and another man whose car was struck by a. falling rock.

The tropical storm is anticipated to gradually work its method up Taiwan's. flat western plain and damage even more into a tropical depression. by late Friday.

All domestic flights were cancelled for a second day, as. well as hundreds of international ones.

Taiwan's monetary markets closed for a second day too.

Hurricanes typically hit Taiwan's east coast dealing with the Pacific,. but Krathon is unusual because it will straight strike the west. coast.

The Kaohsiung federal government has been especially mindful in. its preparations offered the last time it was supported such a. storm, 1977's Tropical storm Thelma, 37 people died and the city. devastated.

(source: Reuters)