TAIWAN, July 7 — Moderate Typhoon Danas made landfall in Budai Township, Chiayi County at around 11:40 p.m. on Saturday, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA). As of this morning, the typhoon’s center was located approximately 60 kilometers southeast of Penghu, moving in a north-northeasterly direction at speeds between 12 to 25 kilometers per hour.
The CWA reported that Danas has intensified, with its maximum sustained winds near the center increasing from 38 meters per second to 40 meters per second. The central pressure remains at 950 hPa, with widespread impact being felt across Taiwan’s central and southern regions.
Liu Yuqi, Section Chief at the CWA’s Meteorological Forecast Center, said the most severe wind and rainfall conditions are currently concentrated south of Yunlin County. “Strong vigilance is necessary before dawn as the typhoon continues to move inland,” Liu warned. He added that convective cloud systems surrounding the typhoon are bringing intense weather conditions to Yunlin, Chiayi, Tainan, and Penghu.
Peak wind gusts have reached level 16 in Dongji Island, Penghu, and also in Qigu, Tainan. Tainan’s artificial observation station recorded a gust at level 13. Meanwhile, Kaohsiung and Pingtung are experiencing gusts ranging between level 10 and 11.
Rainfall has also been intense. While earlier heavy downpours in Hualien and Taitung eased overnight, western Taiwan and Penghu experienced heavy rain and short bursts of torrential rainfall from late Saturday into early Sunday. Notably, Penghu recorded over 180 millimeters of rain within just three hours.
In response to the extreme weather, the CWA issued a special rainstorm advisory for Penghu and the mountainous regions of Kaohsiung. Liu noted that while southern and central regions faced the brunt of the typhoon overnight, rainfall is expected to taper off gradually through the day. However, northern Taiwan will continue to see heavy rain until conditions improve later this evening.
Authorities are urging the public to remain cautious, especially in low-lying and mountainous areas prone to flooding or landslides.
