Deadly typhoon in Taiwan tears through Kaohsiung

High waves lashed against seawalls in Kaohsiung, the largest city in southern Taiwan. Typhoon Krathon, whose intensity experts say was underestimated, brought heavy rain and wind speeds of up to 162 kilometers per hour (100 miles per hour) on Thursday.

An earth science student at the National Taiwan University follows the typhoon's route on his smartphone. As a precaution, schools and offices were closed on Wednesday.

Pedestrians tried to stay on their feet on the streets of Kaohsiung. The storm had already hit the east and south of Taiwan in recent days, killing two people and injuring about 500 so far.

Kaohsiung was particularly hard hit. Strong gusts uprooted numerous trees and threw motorcyclists to the ground. According to the Taiwan Power Company, 51,000 households in Pingtung and Kaohsiung lost power.

The storm knocked down these freight containers in the port of Kaohsiung like toys. The typhoon, which has since been downgraded to a tropical storm, reached Taiwan's capital, Taipei, on Friday. Authorities have warned of possible flooding and landslides.

Not only were trees uprooted, but there were also mudslides and landslides in the area around Kaohsiung. Around 11,000 people were evacuated because of the storm