🌪️ Typhoon Danas Slams Taiwan’s Southwest: Power Outages, Travel Disruptions, and Torrential Rain Warnings
Taiwan’s battle with Typhoon Danas escalated Sunday night, as the storm’s powerful outer bands brought intense rain and wind to the island’s southern and central regions. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) warned that the storm may make landfall in central Taiwan overnight, a rare and dangerous trajectory not seen in decades.
As of 9 p.m. Sunday, Danas’s eye was just 70 kilometers south-southeast of Penghu, packing maximum sustained winds of 137 km/h and gusts up to 173 km/h. Although the storm had picked up speed earlier, it is now expected to slow to 15 km/h, prolonging the impact window.
⚠️ What’s Happening on the Ground
🔌 Massive Power Outages
According to Taiwan Power Company (Taipower):
- 22,728 households lost electricity as of 8 p.m.
- 17,022 in Kaohsiung
- 4,316 in Pingtung
- Others affected: Chiayi County, Yunlin, Tainan, and even Taipei
- Thousands remain without power as repair crews battle worsening conditions.
🚢 Travel Chaos Leaves Thousands Stranded
The Maritime and Port Bureau confirmed:
- 124 ferry trips canceled Monday across 15 routes.
- Another 145 trips canceled on Sunday.
- Over 11,000 passengers stranded:
- 9,000+ in Penghu
- 2,000 in Matsu
- 536 on Green Island
- 78 on Orchid Island
Meanwhile, all domestic flights scheduled for Monday morning have been grounded, and international carriers including Tigerair have scrambled to revise schedules.
🛣️ Road & Rail Closures
- Alishan Highway in Chiayi closed Sunday 6 p.m.
- Forest recreation areas, including Aowanda, Dasyueshan, and Wuling, are shut.
- The Central Cross-Island Highway may be closed due to unstable slopes from past quakes.
🌧️ Weather Warnings Escalate
The CWA has issued:
- Extreme torrential rain: Over 500 mm in 24 hours expected on Hengchun Peninsula.
- Torrential rain alerts: For Pingtung, Taitung, Kaohsiung mountains (350+ mm).
- Extremely heavy rain: In Taichung, Tainan, Chiayi, Yunlin, Hualien (200+ mm/day).
- Heavy rain alerts: In Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Yilan, and Penghu.
Winds up to 150 km/h expected in Penghu, with gusts over 118 km/h in western coastal counties.
🔍 Unique Insights and Commentary
- Unusual Storm Path: Danas’s projected course along Taiwan’s western coast is highly atypical. Most typhoons sweep past the eastern or southern coasts—this shift puts central Taiwan’s infrastructure at rare risk.
- Energy Vulnerabilities: With thousands losing power across multiple counties, Typhoon Danas has exposed Taiwan’s fragile grid resilience, especially in urban coastal zones.
- Evacuation Gaps: While local authorities have prepared evacuations in landslide zones, the surge in stranded travelers on islands shows that more robust contingency logistics may be needed, such as rapid military airlifts.
- Economic Impact Forecast: Agriculture and logistics may take a hit. Already, vegetable and pork prices are spiking. With roads impassable and markets closed, food supply chains are strained heading into Monday.
🙋♂️ FAQs
Will Typhoon Danas make landfall in Taiwan?
It is likely to make landfall late Sunday night in central Taiwan, but CWA is still monitoring.
Which areas are most at risk?
Kaohsiung, Pingtung, Chiayi, Penghu, and mountainous regions of Taitung and Nantou.
Are ferry and flight services operating?
No. All domestic flights for Monday morning are canceled. 15 ferry routes are suspended.
Are power outages being resolved?
Restoration is ongoing. Some areas remain without power, particularly in the south.
What precautions should residents take?
Avoid coastal areas, stay indoors, follow local government instructions, and prepare emergency supplies.
