Typhoon Danas Hits Taiwan, Resulting in 2 Deaths and Over 300 Injuries

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Typhoon Danas hit Taiwan early Monday, bringing strong winds and heavy rains to the highly populated west coast. The storm resulted in two fatalities and more than 300 injuries, according to local authorities.

As the typhoon moved into the Taiwan Strait and headed towards China, it lost strength and was downgraded to a tropical storm. Danas affected a significant portion of the island, knocking out power for over 580,000 homes, while schools and businesses were closed in southern and central Taiwan.

The typhoon made landfall late Sunday with maximum sustained winds reaching 144 kph (89 mph), dumping over 60 centimeters (24 inches) of rain in some areas, leading to landslides and severe flooding. The National Fire Agency reported that the two fatalities occurred in Tainan, a city in the southwest.

One victim was killed when a tree fell onto their vehicle, while the other passed away when a power failure caused their respirator to malfunction. In addition, at least 334 people sustained injuries, and more than 3,400 were forced to evacuate, primarily from mountainous regions near the southern port city of Kaohsiung.

The storm stranded thousands of tourists on Taiwan’s outlying islands such as Penghu, Matsu, and Green due to the cancellation of ferry services and flights. Meanwhile, preparations were made in southern and eastern China, where authorities in Guangdong province called over 100 vessels to safety and evacuated more than 2,000 people from offshore facilities.

In eastern Zhejiang province, ferry services and construction work were halted in anticipation of the storm. Additionally, the effects of Typhoon Danas extended to the northern mountains of the Philippines, where intensified monsoon rains led to flooding and prompted more than 3,000 residents to seek refuge in emergency shelters.

While tropical storms are not uncommon in Taiwan from July to October, they typically affect the less populated eastern coast facing the Pacific Ocean.