Tropical Storm Fung Wong Hammers Parts of Taiwan

Tropical Storm Fung Wong is nearing Taiwan, and thousands of people have evacuated. The east coast is already seeing widespread flooding and damage.

Transcript

00:00Eastern Taiwan is hammered with rain, as Tropical Storm Fong Wong closes in on the island.

00:07Here in Su Ao Township in southern Yilan, over 120mm has been falling each hour, washing

00:14out roads, and in some places, submerging the ground floor of building.

00:24Water control infrastructure is overwhelmed by the constant downpour.

00:27It's been left to the military and firefighters to rescue stranded people.

00:47The storm hasn't even made landfall yet, and yet scenes like those from Su Ao show it's

00:52already striking Taiwan.

00:54Precautions have been taken.

00:56Over 8,000 people across the country have evacuated in preparation, and 12 cities and counties

01:01have cancelled work and classes.

01:04Fifty-eight international flights and 210 domestic flights are cancelled.

01:09Still the National Fire Agency has already counted 51 injuries across the country due to the storm.

01:16On especially high alert is Hualien on the east coast.

01:19This is a mountainous region prone to flooding and landslides.

01:23In September, a typhoon triggered a sudden flood when a barrier dam burst.

01:28Nineteen people died.

01:29Five more are still missing.

01:31Here, the Ma Tai An River, the same river linked to the last flood, has already burst its banks,

01:37flooding the nearby village of Mingli and sweeping away a whole shipping container.

01:42Forecasters say the storm is already weakening, and will weaken further after landfall.

01:47But in the areas the storm has been battering though, there is still more to come as it hits Taiwan.

02:03Devin Tsai and John Van Trieste for Taiwan Plus.