Typhoon Koinu Strikes Southern Taiwan with Record Winds

Typhoon Koinu made a forceful landfall in southern Taiwan on October 4, 2023, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. As the storm approached the southeastern coast of Taiwan, its eye was located approximately 200 kilometers offshore, moving westward at a speed of 13 kilometers per hour, as reported by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

With sustained wind speeds reaching an estimated 210 kilometers per hour, Typhoon Koinu was classified as equivalent to a category 4 hurricane. Early Thursday, the typhoon made landfall at Cape Eluanbi, the southernmost tip of Taiwan, unleashing the strongest wind speeds ever recorded in the country.

According to reports from the official Central News Agency, a weather monitoring station on Orchid Island, an outlying island, measured a staggering wind gust of 342.7 kilometers per hour, accompanied by sustained winds reaching 198.7 kilometers per hour.

Although Typhoon Koinu has substantially weakened, it is anticipated to bring heavy rainfall to coastal areas in southern China over the upcoming weekend. The storm's impact has been significant, and recovery efforts are underway in affected regions.