Typhoon drenches Taiwan, kills 2 people; floods hit Manila
Published 9:46 am Friday, July 8, 2016
TAIPEI, Taiwan — Power was partially restored in Taiwan on Friday after a powerful typhoon slammed into the island’s eastern coast with ferocious winds and torrential rains, killing two people and injuring 72.
Typhoon Nepartak made landfall early morning in Taitung county, grounding planes and fishing boats. More than 15,000 people were evacuated.
In the Philippine capital Manila and outlying provinces, government work and classes were suspended Friday as typhoon-induced monsoon rains drenched many regions. Rescuers used rubber boats to move people around in waist-high floodwaters.
By late morning, Nepartak had weakened to a medium-strength typhoon, packing maximum sustained winds of 100 miles per hour and gusts of up to 143 mph, Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau said. It was forecast to reach mainland China’s Fujian province Saturday morning.