Typhoon Fung-Wong triggers record floods in Taiwan, over 8,000 evacuated

Taiwan evacuated more than 8,300 residents ahead of the arrival of Typhoon Fung-Wong, which weakened significantly before making landfall on Wednesday but still brought record rainfall and widespread flooding to the island’s eastern and southern regions.

Authorities said 51 people were injured as the storm unleashed torrential downpours and fierce winds that inundated homes, damaged roads, and triggered landslides.

Businesses and schools were ordered shut across most southern areas as emergency crews worked through the night to clear debris and rescue trapped residents.

Television footage showed neck-deep floodwaters in parts of the mountainous eastern county of Yilan, where soldiers were seen carrying residents to safety and using inflatable boats to reach stranded families.

The harbour town of Suao was among the hardest hit, recording 648 millimetres (25 inches) of rain on Tuesday — the highest monthly total ever recorded for November, according to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration.

More than 1,000 homes were reported flooded in the town, while power outages and blocked roads hampered rescue efforts.

Premier Cho Jung-tai urged the public to remain vigilant as cleanup and recovery operations continued, warning that the risk of landslides and flash floods remained high in saturated mountain areas.

Although Typhoon Fung-Wong has weakened into a tropical storm, forecasters cautioned that residual heavy rains could persist through Thursday, particularly along Taiwan’s eastern and southern coasts.