Typhoon ‘Koinu’ cuts power in Taiwan

At least one person died and hundreds of thousands of homes in southern Taiwan lost power on Thursday as record winds from typhoon "Koinu" lashed the island.

Authorities said an 84-year-old woman died in her home in western Taichung city after she was injured by glass shattered due to the gales.

The typhoon's wind was the strongest to hit Taiwan when "Koinu" made landfall in Cape Eluanbi Thursday morning.

Koinu was weakening as it moved 80 kilometers off the coast by 1 p.m. local time, according to Taiwan's Central Weather Administration.

Overnight, the eastern volcanic islet of Orchid Island — home mostly to fishermen and farmers
— experienced wind gusts overnight equivalent to 342.72 kilometers per hour as "Koinu" moved west towards Taiwan's southern tip, according to CWA.

"The maximum wind gusts of 95.2 meters per second measured in Orchid Island last night is a new record in Taiwan," a forecaster told AFP.

Local media said some 2,400 homes on Orchid Island were without power, while the classrooms of an elementary school were damaged by the powerful gales.

Across Taiwan, more than 300,000 homes temporarily lost power, with authorities still working to restore electricity to about 80,000 households.

Rain-drenched streets were deserted Thursday in southern Taitung and Pingtung counties, with strong winds knocking over street signs and tearing off metal roofing.
Around190 people were injured, some by falling trees.