Typhoon Koinu: 1 Dead, Over 300 Hurt As Record-Breaking Winds Hit Taiwan, Hong Kong To Issue Higher Storm Alert

Record-breaking world's third strongest winds have hit Taiwan destroying houses, uprooting trees and disrupting electricity supply as rains pounded the Taichung region.

Typhoon Koinu: Record-breaking Strong winds followed by torrential rains have hit the island nations of Taiwan killing one and injuring more than 300 as it heads towards southern China, reported The Associated Press. It added that one person was killed by flying glass in the Taiwanese city of Taichung on Thursday, as per Taiwan’s fire department. Trees were uprooted, buildings were damaged, and ferry services, schools and colleges were shut down after the world's third most powerful winds hit the island nation, reported The Guardian. It quoted the Central Weather Administration (CWA) as saying that the winds were the highest gust recorded in Taiwan since it was founded in 1986.

As per the report, winds were blowing at a speed of up to 95.2 metres per second, or 342.7km/h (212.9mph) when it crossed Taiwan’s outer Lanyu (Orchid) Island on Wednesday night. The gust destroyed the island’s anemometer, the CWA said.

Previously, in 1996, Western Australia’s Barrow Island recorded a 408km/h gust, which broke the record set in 1934 when a 372km/h gust was recorded in the US on Mount Washington in New Hampshire, The Guardian mentioned in its report.

Visuals on social media show strong winds accompanied by rain hitting the island with nearly zero visibility.

Koinu, which means "puppy" in Japanese, made its landfall on the Hengchun peninsula in Taiwan as a category four typhoon. Over 62,000 homes and businesses were without power by midday Thursday. The wins have led to cancellation or suspension of domestic flights and ferries as well. 

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Observatory said it might raise the No 3 warning signal between 5 pm and 8 pm on Friday, reported the South China Morning Post (SCMP). 

"According to the present forecast track, Koinu will maintain a distance of about 400km or more from Hong Kong tonight and tomorrow morning," the forecaster earlier said on Thursday, as quoted by SCMP. 

"The chance of strong winds prevailing over the territory is low. The standby signal, No 1, will remain in force at least until noon tomorrow," it added. The report mentioned that Typhoon Koinu is also expected to bring cooler weather, with the mercury expected to go as low as 23 degrees Celsius over the weekend.

"The need for issuance of higher tropical cyclone warning signals depends on its intensity and its distance from the Pearl River [Delta] when it edges closer to the region," the forecaster was quoted assaying by SCMP.