Typhoon Gaemi sinks 1 ship, forces 3 aground in southern Taiwan: 9 sailors missing

Indonesian freighter "Iriana" aground in southern Taiwan
Marine and Fisheries 
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Nine Myanmar nationals are missing after a ship capsized and sank off Taiwan’s southern coast, and three other vessels have run aground in sea and wind conditions affected by Typhoon Gaemi since yesterday, July 24. According to Taiwan’s National Coast Guard Administration, the Tanzanian-flagged freighter Fu Shun capsized and sank around 19 nautical miles off the coast of Kaohsiung City at around 6:30 am this morning. The crew of nine Myanmar nationals are suspected to have fallen into the sea

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Typhoon Gaemi hits Taiwan’s east coast: mother dead, child critical after brick wall falls 6 floors onto car

damaged car and fallen debris with firetruck in attendence
Disaster 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

A woman died, and child was critically injured, when a section of brick wall collapsed in Hualien City earlier this evening, landing on a car stopped at an intersection. Video footage of the incident showed a sheet-metal structure on the roof of a six-storey building being blown away by strong winds before a section of brick wall fell onto the road below. The slab landed on the rear section of a small, white sedan that had just come to a

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Typhoon Gaemi nears Taiwan, intensifies: work, financial markets likely suspended for a second day tomorrow

satellite RGB image of Typhoon Gaemi July 24
Typhoon 
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Typhoon Gaemi intensified to the level of strong typhoon this morning, and is expected to make landfall late tonight, according to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration. The CWA said that Gaemi intensified into a strong typhoon in the three hours up to 11:00 am. Typhoon Gaemi was located around 150 kilometers southeast of Yilan County moving west-northwest at 18 kilometers per hour. The storm has a surface pressure of 925 hPa, with a storm radius of 250 kilometers packing sustained winds

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Work and classes suspended, residents evacuated from vulnerable areas as Typhoon Gaemi approaches Taiwan

forecast path of typhoon Gaemi
Typhoon 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

Stop work and class orders have been issued in many municipalities, including the nation’s capital Taipei, as Typhoon Gaemi approaches Taiwan’s east coast, bringing heavy rain and potentially destructive winds. Taipei City Government announced stop work orders for all agencies and schools for Wednesday, July 24, based on the weather forecast data issued by the Central Weather Administration. Taipei City Mayor Chiang Wan-an said that Taipei City is expected to be within the storm radius of Beaufort-Scale level 7 winds

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Taiwan prepares for direct hit by Typhoon Gaemi

satellite RGB image of Typhoon Gaemi July 23, 2024
Typhoon 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration issued a land warning for Typhoon Gaemi at 11:30 am Tuesday, as the tropical storm intensified into a medium-strength typhoon while heading for a direct hit on the northern part of the island. According to the CWA alert, at 8:00 am this morning Typhoon Gaemi was located 470 kilometers east-southeast of Taiwan’s most southerly point, Point Eluanbi. The system has a central air pressure of 965 hPa, and a storm radius of 200 kilometers packing sustained

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Woman’s body found in Taichung City canal: suspected to be foreign resident or visitor

police and firefighters retrieving body from canal in Taichung City
Breaking News 
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Police in Taichung City are investigating the death of an unidentified woman of Caucasian appearance after a body was found in a stream today, July 17. Taichung City police received a report of a body seen floating in Xinzhuangzi Creek in Xitun District at around 10:30 am. Firefighters retrieved the body, which was estimated to have been in the water for up to two days. Investigators said that the woman was white, with a Caucasian appearance, and estimated to be

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Police officer killed, 5 people injured after suspected drug driver crash in New Taipei City

police patrol car after crash
Traffic Accidents 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

A police officer died, and five people were injured, after a driver suspected to be under the influence of drugs slammed head-on into two cars stopped at a red light in New Taipei City’s Sanchong District early this morning, July 13. According to reports, a police patrol car and a multi-taxi were stopped at a red light at the intersection of Zhengyi North Road and Longmen Road at when a silver Mercedes Benz slammed head-on into the police patrol car

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Vaccine injury program awards NT$1.5 million payout over death of elderly woman

covid-19 vaccines
Health and Safety 
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Taiwan’s Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) awarded compensation of NT$1.5 million to the family of a 90-year-old woman who died 5 minutes after being injected with the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. According to the VICP review information, the elderly woman was a long-term resident of a care institution with a medical history of multiple chronic diseases, including asthma, hypertensive heart disease, and diabetes. In July, 2022, the woman was injected with the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Within five minutes of injection, the

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Fisheries Chairman shot dead in ambush outside his home in Tainan City

gunman shoots victim
Breaking News Violent Crimes 
Phillip Charlier 1 Comment , , ,

The chairman of the Tainan City Fisherman’s Association was declared dead in hospital after being shot 11 times as he left his home early this morning, Monday, July 8. According to reports, 53-year-old Lin Shijie (林士傑), a well-known and influential member of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in Tainan City, walked out of his front door at around 5:40 am to go hiking. As Lin walked towards a waiting car, a man dressed in jeans and a black hoodie quickly

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2 dead, 3 injured after scaffolding collapse at construction site in southern Taiwan

collapsed scaffolding at construction site
Disaster 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

Two people died and three were injured after scaffolding collapsed at a construction site in Yunlin County this afternoon, Saturday, July 6. According to reports, the scaffolding collapse occurred at the Formosa Advanced Technology Company (FATA/Fumao Technology TW:8131) in Henan Street, Doulio City at 4:12 pm. Yunlin County Fire Department dispatched six fire trucks, six ambulances, and 31 personnel to the scene of the accident. Firefighters found 15 people trapped under the collapsed scaffolding. A 40-year-old man was dead, having

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Taiwan’s fertility rate second lowest in the world: abortions are double the number of live births, advocacy group claims

population birth and death rate chart
Society 
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Taiwan has one of the lowest fertility rates in the world, and one of the highest rates for abortion, it was revealed at a press conference by pro-life pregnancy support and advocacy group Pro Femina, Friday, July 5. Pro Femina urged the government to address Taiwan’s high abortion rate. Government agencies have often weighed in on the problem of low fertility rates, which have at times been flagged as a national security issue. In a recent report, the National Development

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