KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan (AP) — Typhoon Krathon made landfall Thursday in Taiwan’s major port city of Kaohsiung, bringing torrential rains and fierce winds to the island’s south. Trees were brought down by high winds and roads flooded, prompting the closure of schools and businesses. Krathon made landfall in the industrial Siaogang District of Kaohsiung around 12:40 p.
m., the Central Weather Administration said. The typhoon packed maximum sustained winds of 126 kph (78 mph) near its center, with gusts of 162 kph (101 mph).
The typhoon is forecast to move slowly north and weaken into a tropical depression by Friday before it reaches the capital, Taipei. It appears to be heading across the Taiwan Strait toward the Chinese coast. Winds were strong in Taipei on Thursday, but there was little rain.
Kaohsiung earlier urged its residents to take cover from potentially disastrous winds and rain, which tore down storefronts and flooded car parks but caused no reported loss of life. The , which has been inching toward Taiwan at a speed of about 4 kph (2.5 mph), doused eastern and southern parts of the island over the past five days, forcing thousands to evacuate from mountainous or low-lying areas.
Two days of closures are believed to have taken a significant toll on the high-tech economy that relies heavily on foreign trade. Gusts and heavy rains pelted the empty streets in Kaohsiung, while life in Taipei, 350 kilometers (217 miles) to the north was only slightly disrupted. Many reside.