Taiwan Typhoon Kong-rey Live Tracker: Route, Landfall Date, Time And Latest Updates

Typhoon Kong-rey Latest: Taiwan is on alert for super typhoon Kong-rey, which is expected to make landfall on its east coast soon. Typhoon Kong-rey's radius has surpassed 300 km and forecasts suggest it could be the largest to impact Taiwan in nearly 30 years. The only typhoon that has made landfall on the island with a distance of more than 300 km can be traced back to Typhoon Herb in 1996.

Taiwan's Central Weather Administration issued sea and land typhoon warnings for most of the island on Wednesday. The agency said the typhoon is likely to land on the island on Thursday afternoon. The meteorological agency predicted intensifying rainfall in the island's northern and eastern parts on Wednesday and significant rainfall is expected across the island for the next two days.

Kong-rey reached super-typhoon strength on Wednesday, as per the US  Navy's Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC).

Gaining a speed of nearly 300 kph (186 mph), the storm is expected to intensify further before hitting Taitung county in Taiwan, as per the JTWC as quoted by a report by Reuters. Forecasts indicate that Kong-rey could make landfall as a Category 3 hurricane along Taiwan’s eastern coast on Thursday.

According to Taiwan's Central Weather Administration, the storm will pass through the south of Taiwan after hitting Taitun and then crossing the Taiwan Strait before moving towards China.

Typhoon Kong-rey is likely to hit Taiwan's east coast during the early hours on Thursday, October 31. 

The map below by windy.com shows the live tracking and possible route of Typhoon Kong-rey.

*If the map is not visible then click on the link below to access the live tracking of Typhoon Kong-rey.

Typhoon Kong-rey Live tracker

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has requested residents to avoid the mountains and coastal areas.

"I would like to urge my friends in the eastern, southern and northern parts of the country to be on alert," he wrote in a post on Facebook.

Central Weather Administration forecaster Stan Chang said that it was rare for a strong typhoon to directly hit Taiwan at this time of the year. However, he noted that the environment remains favourable for typhoons, citing warmer sea temperatures in the Pacific and later-than-normal cold fronts from the north.

"We must urge people to make preparations. It's a strong typhoon with a large size," Chang was quoted as saying by Reuters.

Officials in Taiwan on Wednesday announced the suspension of ferry services, national park closures and the closing of Taipei-area riversides ahead of the approaching Typhoon Kong-rey. Local governments have started to announce work and office closures as Typhoon Kong-rey closes in on the island.

Schools and offices in Yilan County and Taitung County will be closed on Wednesday, October 30.

The Taiwanese defence ministry said it had mobilised about 36,000 troops on standby across the island to deal with the impact of Typhoon Kong-rey.

The country’s Central Emergency Operations Center said that over 6,000 first responders have been put on standby for assistance in response to the typhoon.

Rainfall of up to 1.2 metres (3.9 feet) is expected in the mountainous area of eastern Taiwan, while the coasts are likely to be hit by destructive winds, the Central Weather Administration said.

Heavy rainfall throughout the day on Thursday is also likely in the north around the Taiwanese capital of Taipei, it added.

As per the Bloomberg report, Typhoon Kong-rey has raised the prospect of another suspension of the island’s US$2.5 trillion stock exchange. If suspended, it will be the first time since 2015 that the Taiwan exchange has been closed three times in a year due to typhoons. It was Typhoon Krathon this month and Typhoon Gaemi in July that had halted the stock exchange.