Taiwan issues land, sea alerts for Typhoon Gaemi

TAIPEI — Taiwan's meteorological agency has issued both sea and land alerts for Typhoon Gaemi, which is expected to make landfall in Yilan County between late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning.

As of 1 p.m. (local time) on Tuesday, the centre of Typhoon Gaemi was located approximately 470 km southeast of Eluanbi, moving northwest with maximum sustained winds of around 144 km per hour, Xinhua news agency reported.

The storm's radius is approaching the Bashi Channel and the sea areas southeast of Taiwan, posing a threat to New Taipei, Yilan, Hualien, and Taitung.

The meteorological agency forecasts increasing winds and rainfall as the typhoon draws closer.

Typhoon Gaemi has forced the suspension of some ferry services, the cancellation of certain flights, and the closure or restricted access to several major tourist sites.