Typhoon Fung-wong Triggers Flooding in Taiwan, Thousands Evacuated

TAIPEI: Taiwan evacuated more than 8,300 people as a weakened Typhoon Fung-wong swept across the island on Wednesday, bringing heavy rain and flash floods to the mountainous east coast. The typhoon, though much reduced in strength after passing through the Philippines — where it claimed 18 lives — unleashed neck-deep floods in parts of eastern Taiwan, particularly in rural areas of Yilan County, prompting urgent rescue operations.

Authorities ordered closures of schools and businesses across most southern regions of the island, while emergency teams worked to assist residents stranded by rapidly rising waters. Television footage showed floodwaters reaching neck height in several areas, as soldiers and emergency responders mounted rescues to help those trapped in their homes.

Fisherman Hung Chun-yi, from the eastern harbour town of Suao, described the sudden inundation of his first floor. “The water came in so quickly. It rained so much, and so fast, the drainage couldn’t take it,” he said, adding that he spent the night clearing mud and debris from his home after waters reached about 60 centimeters (2 feet) deep.

The Taiwan Fire Department confirmed that roughly 8,300 residents were relocated to safer areas, primarily in Yilan and neighboring Hualien, where rainfall was exacerbated by a northern monsoon interacting with the late-season typhoon. Weather officials reported that Dongshan, a town in Yilan, received 794 mm (31 inches) of rain on Tuesday alone, highlighting the severity of the storm.

Fung-wong is expected to graze the southern tip of Taiwan later on Wednesday before moving out into the Pacific Ocean. While the typhoon has weakened since its deadly passage through the Philippines, its heavy rainfall continues to pose a significant threat, especially to low-lying and mountainous regions prone to flash flooding and landslides.

This event follows a similar disaster in September, when a typhoon-induced flood in Hualien killed 18 people, underscoring Taiwan’s vulnerability to tropical storms and the critical need for timely evacuations and disaster preparedness.