PINGTUNG (TVBS News) — Typhoon Koinu hit Pingtung County with strong winds on Thursday (Oct. 5), causing power outages for about 45,000 households, with about 23,000 homes still without electricity as of midday as Taipower was striving to restore power.
Wind speeds hitting level 17 started blasting Pingtung's Manzhou Township in the early hours that morning, leading to the collapse of at least seven utility poles.
The typhoon also devastated Kenting Street in Pingtung. Vendor stalls on both sides of the street were toppled, severely damaging signage. As seen in online footage, metal sheets from the stalls were sent rolling down the streets as the winds whipped through the area.
South Korean tourists visiting Kenting were also caught in the storm. Fierce winds thwarted their attempts to walk to a transportation spot. Fortunately, they were given a lift by a media crew on-site.
