Work and travel across Taiwan resumes after Typhoon Krathon subsides

KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan (AP) — Work, activities and flights in Taiwan resumed on Friday Typhoon Krathon brought heavy rainfall to the island, which eventually dissipated over the mountain range.

A heavy rainfall advisory remained in place for the north coast and mountain areas, where two landslides occurred on Friday morning.

Krathon stalled most of the island for three days, but it weakened early Friday, causing a tropical depression. Its center retreated out to sea after turning back over the southwestern tip of the island overnight.

Schools and businesses have reopened, except for Kaohsiung City, Pingtung County and parts of Hualien County and New Taipei City. Domestic flights, which had been grounded for two days, have resumed.

Krathon hit Kaohsiung with winds of up to 126 km/h and higher gusts. It felled trees and flooded roads. Heavy rains and flooding also occurred along Taiwan’s southern and eastern coasts. Mountainous Taitung County received 171 centimeters (5.6 feet) of rain in six days.

According to the Taiwanese fire department, two people were killed earlier this week and one person remains missing. A missing person was swept off the bridge.

Authorities expected Krathon to cause destruction comparable to the powerful typhoon that hit Kaohsiung in 1977, killing 37 people.

However, it lost momentum shortly after making landfall in Kaohsiung and reaching the mountains northeast of the city, according to the Central Meteorological Administration.

The weather agency said Krathon was one of only two typhoons in recent history to “die” over Taiwan, along with Typhoon Trami, in 2001.

___

Associated Press journalist Taijing Wu in Taipei contributed to this report.