Typhoon Bears Down on Northern Taiwan

Typhoon Bears Down on Northern Taiwan

BEIJING (AP) -- Fast-moving Typhoon Mitag was bearing down on northern Taiwan on Monday, bringing high winds and heavy rain and forcing flight cancellations.

Alerts were ordered for parts of the island's east and north, including the capital, Taipei, with the worst of the weather expected to arrive overnight on Monday.

Classes were canceled and government offices closed in Taipei, and the surrounding areas of New Taipei City, Keelung, Yilan county, Taoyuan, and Hsinchu county. Similar orders were also issued for islands off the east coast and ferry services were suspended.

All domestic flights had been suspended by early afternoon and a number of international flights from the island's main international airport outside Taipei canceled.

The storm's center was expected to pass just east of the island before heading toward Shanghai on mainland China, then weakening as it moves toward South Korea and Japan.

On Monday, Taiwan's weather bureau said Mitag was strengthening gradually as it moved north at about 27 kilometers (17 miles) per hour with winds gusting at up to 162 kph (100 mph).

(KR)

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