Super typhoon Krathon rages in Asia

In parts of Asia, the alarm has been raised again because of a severe tropical storm: Krathon has now reached the status of a super typhoon and is sweeping across the South China Sea with wind speeds of 185 kilometres per hour, the Philippine weather service announced. The gales even reached top speeds of 230 kilometres per hour.

Since the beginning of the week several areas in the northern part of the country have reported severe flooding. Photos showed people wading through waist-deep water. Local authorities have also reported landslides and flash floods, with roofs blown off and trees uprooted. In the northern parts of the most populous island, Luzon, where the capital Manila is located, many schools remained closed.

‘The winds are so strong that it feels like an earthquake,’ said the governor of Batanes, Marilou Cayco, in a television interview. Many citizens have been accommodated in evacuation centres.

Krathon, which is called Julian in the Philippines, is forecast to make landfall on the southwest coast of Taiwan on Wednesday. According to the Taiwanese meteorological agency, the tropical storm is likely to continue to gain strength.

Strong wind and heavy rain warnings have been issued for Pingtung and Taitung counties, as well as Kaohsiung City in southern Taiwan. Offices and schools remained closed in the east and south of the island due to the approaching storm.

In recent months, several severe storms have already claimed lives and caused severe devastation in parts of Asia, including, most notably, Gaemi in July and Yagi in September.