TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Typhoon Podul has caused significant disruptions at Taoyuan Airport (桃園機場) on Wednesday (Aug. 13), leading to the cancellation of 49 flights and the closure of the observation deck at 11:50 a.m. The Central Weather Administration (CWA, 氣象署) reported at 11:30 a.m. that the typhoon's center is near the southeastern coast of Taitung, affecting several regions, including Hualien and Nantou.
Strong crosswinds at Taoyuan Airport have forced many flights to divert, with flights CI121 and CI151 rerouting to Okinawa, and CI191 and MDA211 landing in Taichung. A China Airlines (華航) flight from Nagoya has attempted to land in Taiwan twice and is currently making a third attempt. The CWA pointed out hta southeastern winds are particularly strong, with gusts of 7 to 9 on the Beaufort scale along the coastlines of Yilan, Hualien, and the western regions.
The CWA has issued a land wind advisory, predicting gusts of 11 to 12 in areas south of Yunlin and potentially over 15 in Taitung, Green Island (綠島), and Orchid Island (蘭嶼). As the typhoon approaches, rainfall is expected to intensify, with Orchid Island recording 166 millimeters of rain. The storm is moving westward, with heavy rain anticipated in Chiayi and southern regions by afternoon, while Penghu and Kinmen should prepare for heavy rain from tonight through early tomorrow.
