In brief
Taiwan is grappling with the aftermath of Typhoon Danas, which struck its southwestern coast, claiming at least two lives and injuring over 300 people while leaving nearly 400,000 households without power.
The devastating Typhoon Danas made landfall late Sunday night near Chiayi County, delivering winds comparable to a Category 1 hurricane, as reported by Taiwan's Central Weather Administration. By Monday, the storm had begun its exit from the island, transitioning into a tropical storm while continuing to move towards mainland China. As of Monday afternoon, the state-run electricity company Taipower reported that nearly 400,000 homes were left powerless, prompting numerous school and business closures across cities and counties. Typhoon-induced conditions have affected much of the island, with Danas representing a significant anomaly in Taiwan's typical summer typhoon patterns, as it made landfall on the densely populated west coast instead of its usual eastern trajectory.President Lai Ching-te observed that this rare path of the storm had a drastic impact on the entire region. Reports indicate that the tragic deaths occurred in Tainan, Taiwan’s oldest city. One victim, a 60-year-old man, succumbed after a power outage interrupted his breathing apparatus, while a 69-year-old man was fatally injured by a falling tree amidst the storm's chaos. In-depth details concerning the injuries of those affected by the typhoon have not been disclosed by government officials.
