Still a day away, Typhoon Gaemi already causing disruptions in Taiwan

Taipei, July 23 (CNA) Typhoon Gaemi started to cause flight and ferry disruptions in Taiwan on Tuesday even as it was still hundreds of kilometers from the island's shores, according to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.

As of 10 a.m., four domestic flights had been canceled, the ministry said, though no international or cross-strait flights were affected.

Meanwhile, 24 ferry services on seven routes will be canceled throughout the day, including 20 domestic services and four ferry services to China, it said.

As of 1 p.m., the 200-kilometer-radius storm was located 470 kilometers east-southeast of Eluanbi, Taiwan's southernmost tip, moving at 22 kilometers per hour (kph) in a north-northwesterly direction, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

Gaemi was carrying sustained winds of 144 kph, with gusts of up to 180 kph, the CWA said.

The third storm of the 2024 typhoon season in the Pacific, Gaemi is projected to be closest to Taiwan between Wednesday and Thursday, the weather administration said.