Typhoon Krathon landfall in Taiwan more likely in latest forecast

Taipei, Sept. 29 (CNA) Typhoon Krathon was still strengthening and more likely to make landfall in Taiwan in the Central Weather Administration's (CWA) latest forecast released Sunday afternoon.

As of 2 p.m., Sunday, the CWA's updated sea warning for Krathon showed that the storm was located about 430 kilometers southeast of Pingtung County's Cape Eluanbi, Taiwan's southernmost tip.

It was moving in a west-northwest direction at 9 kilometers per hour, packing maximum sustained winds of 119 kph, with gusts of up to 155 kph, CWA data showed.

During a press briefing on the updated sea warning, CWA forecaster Wu Wan-hua (伍婉華) said Krathon is expected to move further west before turning north on Tuesday.

The CWA's latest forecast and other countries' projections of the storm's path now indicate a higher possibility of Krathon making landfall in Pingtung County, depending on when the storm turns north, Wu said.

Southern Taiwan will be more heavily affected by the storm if the northward turn takes place later than forecast, Wu said.

On Sunday, heavy rainfall was expected in Taiwan's northern coastal area and Keelung, mountainous areas in Greater Taipei, eastern Taiwan, and the Hengchun Peninsula in Pingtung, and torrential rain is expected in these areas on Monday, except along the northern coast, Wu said.

The forecaster warned that Typhoon Krathon was still expanding and expected to further strengthen after being upgraded to a typhoon Sunday morning.

Wu said a land warning could be issued between Sunday night and early Monday, and the storm's periphery would likely reach Taiwan on Monday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the Central Emergency Operation Center urged people in Taiwan to avoid visits to the seaside and mountainous areas.

City and county governments need to prepare for potential floods, and restrict or ban access to mountain and coastal areas, which will be enforced by the police and Coast Guard, the center said.

In Kaohsiung, the city's Water Resources Bureau said all 25 detention basins that can hold a combined 4.98 million cubic meters of stormwater have been emptied. The city was hit badly by floods in late July, due to heavy rainfall brought by Typhoon Gaemi.

The center was opened in response to Krathon after the CWA issued a sea warning for ships operating in the Bashi Channel at 8:30 a.m., Sunday, as the storm was forecast to move toward waters off southern Taiwan in the following 24 hours.

The sea warning triggered the closure of restricted areas in Yushan National Park and Shei-Pa National Park, and entry permits issued for dates before the areas are reopened are invalid as a result, the park headquarters said.

In Keelung, Dawuluan Beach and Chaojing Park were closed at noon Sunday, and booked visits to the Keelung Islet will be canceled starting Monday as a precautionary measure, the city's Department of Economic Affairs said.

Access to the Guishan Island off Yilan County has been suspended from Sunday morning to Wednesday, according to an announcement made by the Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area Headquarters.

Forest offices around Taiwan have announced closure of ticketed national forest recreation areas in several counties until Wednesday, including Hehuanshan and Aowanda in Nantou, Kenting and Shuangliou in Pingtung, Taipingshan in Yilan, Chihnan and Fuyuan in Hualien, and Jhihben and Siangyang in Taitung.

Ferry services between Keelung and the Matsu Islands, Tainan and Dongji of the Penghu Islands, as well as Fugang port in Taitung and Green and Orchid islands were suspended Sunday, the Marine and Port Bureau announced.

The cancellations also covered services between Houbihu port in Pingtung and Orchid Island, and between the Matsu Islands and the Chinese city of Fuzhou, according to the bureau.

Ferry operators in Pingtung also announced cancellations of services to and from Liuqiu Island on Tuesday and Wednesday, when Taiwan is forecast to be most affected by the storm.