Danas causes power outages to 150,000 homes, businesses in Chiayi

Taipei, July 7 (CNA) Typhoon Danas swept through southern Taiwan early Monday, knocking out power to more than 150,000 homes and businesses in Chiayi and leaving destruction in its wake.

According to the Central Weather Administration (CWA), the system was downgraded to a tropical storm around 5 a.m. and has continued weakening since. A land warning, imposed on Saturday, was removed at 11 a.m. as Danas' radius moved away from Taiwan.

Danas made landfall in Chiayi County's Budai Township at 11:40 p.m. Sunday, bringing strong winds that caused power outages affecting over 150,000 homes and businesses.

State-run Taiwan Power Co. scrambled to restore power and had reconnected around 20,000 buildings by 8 a.m. Monday

Powerful gusts from Danas uprooted trees, toppled large signs and blew away rooftop additions on residential buildings throughout Chiayi City.

Chiayi city and county governments deployed workers to clear debris from the streets.

The CWA recorded gusts reaching level 14 (150-166.6 kph) on the Beaufort Scale in Chiayi City, with even stronger level 17 (201.9-218.5 kph) gusts logged in nearby Yunlin County.

CWA Senior Specialist Wu Wan-hua (伍婉華) told CNA that Danas was the first typhoon to make landfall in Chiayi since 1958, citing CWA data.