The latest storm information from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said that at 4:00 a.m. on October 3, the center of storm Julian (international name Krathon or storm number 5) was located at about 22.5 degrees north latitude; 119.7 degrees east longitude, in the northeastern sea of the North East Sea, 265 km northwest of Itbayat, Batanes (Philippines).
The strongest wind near the storm center is level 13 (134-149 km/h), gusting to level 16; the central pressure is 965 hPa, moving slowly in a north-northeast direction, at a speed of about 5 km/h. Strong winds spread up to 280 km from the storm center.
Typhoon Krathon is forecast to make landfall in southwestern Taiwan (China) this morning or afternoon (October 3) and will continue to weaken.
After making landfall, Typhoon Krathon is forecast to move erratically over Taiwan (China) and weaken rapidly due to land interaction. The tropical storm is forecast to become a low pressure area over Taiwan tomorrow (October 4).
Although it has not yet made landfall, Typhoon Krathon has killed at least two people and injured 102 others in Taiwan (China) as of 8 p.m. on October 2, according to the Central Emergency Operations Center (CEOC).
The Hualien County Fire Department confirmed at around 11am on October 1 that a man in his 70s fell to his death while trimming a tree at his home.
A CEOC meeting on the evening of 2 October confirmed the death of a second man, 66, who died when the truck he was driving was hit by a large rock on the South Link Expressway in Tai Ma Li.
Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry said 9,597 people had been evacuated from 12 cities and counties as of 8 p.m. on October 2.
475 people were evacuated in New Taipei, 4 in Taichung, 113 in Nantou, 8 in Yunlin, 43 in Chiayi, 463 in Tainan, 2,688 in Kaohsiung, 1,592 in Pingtung, 95 in Yilan, 3,064 in Hualien, 1,592 in Pingtung and one in the suburbs of Penghu.
A total of 58,109 households reported power outages due to the storm, but most have had their power restored, with only 3,490 households still without power and expected to have it back on by the evening of October 3.
According to the typhoon forecast of the Taiwan Meteorological Administration (CWA), Typhoon Krathon is expected to make landfall on October 3 in the area between Chiayi, Tainan and Kaohsiung in the south.
Earlier, early in the morning of October 1, storm Krathon strengthened into a super typhoon, entering the North East Sea, becoming the 5th storm of 2024. Super typhoon Krathon is the 2nd super typhoon in the East Sea in less than 1 month, after super typhoon No. 3 Yagi.
