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Flights cancelled as Taiwan battens down for powerful typhoon

by Reuters
Tuesday, 10 July 2018 14:39 GMT

A glass door is seen taped in Taipei as Taiwan braces for super typhoon Maria, July 10, 2018. REUTERS/Eason Lam

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Weather bureau warns of landslides, flash floods

By Jess Macy Yu

TAIPEI, July 10 (Reuters) - Taiwan braced for super typhoon Maria on Tuesday, as airlines cancelled flights and the weather bureau warned against landslides and flash floods on the heavily industrialised island.

Maria was expected to make landfall late on Tuesday, hitting Taiwan's northern region the hardest, as it moves in a west-northwesterly direction at 30 kph (19 mph), from its location 490 km (305 miles) east of Yilan County, weather officials said.

By Jess Macy Yu

TAIPEI, July 10 (Reuters) - Taiwan braced for Typhoon Maria on Tuesday, prompting school closures and the cancellations of hundreds of flights amid warnings of landslides and floods on the island.

Maria was expected to approach the northern coast early on Wednesday as it moves in a west-northwesterly direction at 30 kph (19 mph), weather officials said.

At one point a super typhoon, Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau has downgraded Maria to a medium-strength storm with wind gusts of up to 209 km per hour (129 mph).

Local governments in most part of northern Taiwan plan to close offices and schools on Wednesday, but financial markets will remain open, authorities announced late on Tuesday.

Troops were deployed in some areas amid fears of landslides and fishermen in the northern city of Keelung tried to protect boats from the storm.

China Airlines and Eva Airways, Taiwan's two largest carriers, cancelled many flights and warned more could be delayed because of the typhoon.

Hong Kong's flagship carrier, Cathay Pacific Airways , said more than a dozen flights had been cancelled.

Taiwan is frequently hit by typhoons during the summer, and stepped up preparations to guard against them after Typhoon Morakot devastated the island in 2009. It killed nearly 700 people, most of them in landslides. (Reporting by Jess Macy Yu in Taipei and Yimou Lee in Yilan; Additional reporting by Trista Shi and Maggie Liu in HONG KONG; Writing by Anne Marie Roantree; Editing by Andrew Roche)

Troops were deployed in some areas, with heavy rain and winds expected into early Wednesday. Fishermen in the northern city of Keelung tied up boats as they braced for the storm.

The government ordered schools and businesses to close early, although it had not yet decided whether to close financial markets, companies and schools on Wednesday.

China Airlines and Eva Airways, Taiwan's two largest carriers, cancelled scores of flights and warned that more could be delayed because of the typhoon.

Hong Kong's flagship carrier, Cathay Pacific Airways , said more than a dozen flights had been cancelled.

Taiwan is frequently hit by typhoons during the summer, but it has stepped up preparations to guard against them since Typhoon Morakot devastated the island in 2009.

Morakot was the deadliest typhoon to hit Taiwan in recorded history, killing nearly 700 people, most of them in landslides. (Reporting by Jess Macy Yu in Taipei; Additional reporting by Trista Shi and Maggie Liu in HONG KONG; Writing by Anne Marie Roantree; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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