KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan — Work, classes, and flights resumed across Taiwan on Friday following the departure of Typhoon Krathon, which brought heavy rainfall to the island but weakened over the mountains.
A heavy rain advisory is still in effect for the northern coast and mountainous regions, where two landslides occurred early Friday.
Krathon disrupted daily life on the island for three days. It weakened to a tropical depression early Friday as its center moved back over the sea after making a “U-turn” across the southwestern tip of the island overnight.
Most schools and businesses reopened, except in Kaohsiung, Pingtung County, and parts of Hualien County and New Taipei. Domestic flights, grounded for two days, also resumed.
In Kaohsiung, the typhoon brought winds reaching 126 kph, causing downed trees and flooded roads. Heavy rain and flooding affected southern and eastern Taiwan, with Taitung County recording 171 centimeters of rain over six days.
Taiwan’s fire department reported that two people died earlier in the week, and one person is still missing after being swept off a bridge.
Authorities had feared that Krathon would cause destruction similar to a major typhoon that hit Kaohsiung in 1977, which resulted in 37 fatalities. However, the storm weakened after making landfall in Kaohsiung and moving into the mountains northeast of the city, according to the Central Weather Administration.
Krathon is noted as one of only two typhoons in recent history to weaken over Taiwan, alongside Typhoon Trami in 2001, according to the weather agency.
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