Typhoon Kaemi nears Taiwan, shuts Philippine capital
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-07-24 14:37 Intermittent downpours soaked
Taiwan on Monday and residents stocked up on food as typhoon Kaemi headed
towards the island after shutting down financial markets, offices and schools in
the Philippines.
As of 0200 GMT, the centre of the storm was about 280 km (175 miles)
southeast of Taiwan and moving northwest at 15 kph, with sustained winds of up
to 137 kph and maximum gusts of 173 kph, Taiwan's "Central Weather Bureau" said.
The typhoon is expected to hit China's southeastern coastal province of
Fujian on Wednesday, Xinhua news agency said, adding that Kaemi could cause more
problems in already flood-affected areas of the country.
In Taipei, the government urged people to move cars from parking areas along
the main rivers running through the city in case of flooding and television
footage showed people stocking up on food.
Central and southeastern coastal areas were likely to see intensifying rain
and wind from Monday afternoon, said the bureau, with the typhoon expected to
make landfall on Tuesday.
Key ports of Kaohsiung in the south and Keelung in the north were still
operating normally.
The storm closed Philippine financial markets in Manila on Monday as it moved
across waters off the northern Batanes province, bringing heavy rain.
Schools in five provinces on the main Luzon island and the capital were also
forced to shut.
Earlier this month, tropical storm Bilis killed more than 550 people in the
Philippines and China in floods, landslides and other incidents.
China raised its death toll from Bilis to at least 530.
Strong tropical storms and typhoons frequently hit southern China,
Japan, and the Philippines during a season that lasts from early summer to late
autumn.
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