Powerful Typhoon Gaemi churns toward Taiwan, expected to drench an already soaked China

Taipei, Taiwan CNN —

A powerful typhoon is bearing down on Taiwan, killing at least two people and injuring hundreds of others as authorities close financial markets, schools and offices.

Conditions in Taiwan have worsened as Typhoon Gaemi brought heavy rainfall, gusty winds and a dangerous storm surge.

The two deaths include a woman riding a motorcycle in Kaohsiung City, who was crushed to death by a fallen tree, and a woman in Hualien, who was hit by a parapet falling from the roof of a house, Taiwan’s Central Emergency Operations Center reported. At least 201 other people have been wounded.

The rapidly intensifying storm had been expected to strengthen into a super typhoon before making landfall on Taiwan’s northeastern coast Wednesday afternoon. However it was deflected off its forecast track by Taiwan’s mountainous terrain and has spent more than six hours offshore making a loop near the Hualien coastline instead of making landfall.

Hualien, eastern Taiwan’s most populated city, has been hit with additional hours of the typhoon’s worst conditions, including winds over 100 mph (160 kph), storm surge, and torrential rainfall. Rainfall totals have already topped 300 mm (1 foot) in many locations, with mountainous areas receiving over 500 m (1.5 feet).

The deflection was caused by mountains disrupting the storm’s wind field. The phenomenon has been documented numerous times over the past 60 years in typhoons approaching northeast Taiwan, with several making full loops before eventually moving over land.

The interaction with land has weakened Typhoon Gaemi slightly, with its top winds down from 230 kph (145 mph) to 205 kph (125 mph), making Gaemi a strong Category 3 hurricane-equivalent, according to the latest