TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Typhoon Podul slammed into Taiwan's eastern coast near Taimali in Taitung County at approximately 1 p.m. Wednesday (Aug. 13), engulfing areas south of Changhua. The powerful storm threatened Penghu and Kinmen with its destructive storm circle. President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) announced plans to personally inspect the Central Emergency Operation Center (中央災害應變中心) Taiwan's disaster response headquarters as the typhoon continued its westward march.
The typhoon unleashed devastating winds and torrential rain across eastern Taiwan, with Orchid Island (蘭嶼) and Green Island (綠島) enduring catastrophic gusts exceeding 17 on the Beaufort scale (over 118 mph). Residents documented harrowing scenes of small trucks and iron sheets being violently overturned, describing the storm as the most severe in three decades. Communities in central and southern Taiwan still recovering from Typhoon Danas now faced compounded reconstruction challenges from this renewed onslaught of destructive weather.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA, 中央氣象署) Taiwan's national weather service reported significant rainfall in eastern and mountainous regions, with Fuli (富里) in Hualien recording 235 mm (9.3 inches) of rain. Meteorologists forecast continued convection potentially triggering short-term heavy downpours moving from east to west, reaching Chiayi and points south later Wednesday afternoon. Rainfall across the main island was expected to ease by tonight, though Penghu and Kinmen should remain vigilant through Thursday (Aug. 14) morning. ◼
