Hundreds evacuated as Typhoon Gaemi barrels toward Taiwan

Taipei, July 24 (CNA) Hundreds of people in disaster-prone areas across Taiwan have been evacuated as of Wednesday afternoon as Typhoon Gaemi edges toward the island.

In New Taipei in the north, 362 people living in areas vulnerable to mudslides in Yingge, Xindian, Ruifang, Xizhi, and Wulai districts were evacuated before noon, according to New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜).

Control areas were also designated along the northeast coast, where waves are expected to be up to 15 meters high, Hou said, adding that 664 wave watchers had followed advice to leave the area.

Meanwhile, 375 people were evacuated from the mountainous Taoyuan District in the southern city of Kaohsiung on Wednesday morning, with additional evacuations planned in Liouguei and Namasia districts, the local government said.

In neighboring Pingtung County, precautionary road closures were implemented in Taiwu, Chunri, Sandimen, and Zhutian townships, according to the local government. More than 100 people were evacuated.

Furthermore, 667 tourists were evacuated in Nantou County, central Taiwan, the county government confirmed.

Typhoon Gaemi also led to power outages in 45,000 households island-wide, with Chiayi County, Hsinchu City, Miaoli County, and New Taipei hardest hit, according to Taiwan Power Co.

As of Wednesday noon, nearly 17,000 households were still out of power, the state-run company said.

The 250-kilometer radius typhoon was located about 120 kilometers southeast of Yilan County in northeast Taiwan, moving north at 18 km per hour (kph) at around 1 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Central Weather Administration.

The storm, which continues to strengthen, was packing maximum sustained winds of up to 184 kph, with gusts of up to 227 kph.