Thirty-six people were injured and more than 14,000 evacuated as of 08:00 on Saturday, as Typhoon Bavi, the ninth typhoon of the year, reached northeastern Taiwan in China early Saturday morning.
The storm has also forced the cancellation of flights in Taipei and Taichung, and the suspension of work and classes in most areas across the island.
The latest information indicated that winds and rainfall were intensifying across Taiwan, with scattered reports of damage including power outages and a landslide.
Weather authorities said the center of the typhoon was located over waters about 360 kilometers southeast of Taipei, moving northwestward at a speed of 27 kilometers per hour.
Heavy rainfall will continue throughout the day, with extremely heavy rain forecast for the mountainous areas north of Taichung, and strong winds in many areas. The public has been urged to avoid going to beaches due to high waves.
Rainfall is expected to continue into the night in the mountainous areas of central and southern Taiwan, said meteorological officials, adding that rainfall across the island will gradually subside on Sunday.
36 injured, over 14,000 evacuated as Typhoon Bavi reaches Taiwan
Residents across Paris are struggling to cope with soaring temperatures, with many admitting they remain underprepared for the increasingly intense heat waves hitting the French capital.
As Europe faces persistent high temperatures and new records are set across the continent, locals say current measures are insufficient to deal with the sweltering conditions.
France has been suffering from a heat wave for several consecutive days. Last month, temperatures in parts of western France climbed to 43 degrees Celsius, marking the highest June temperature ever recorded in the country.
In Paris, sleepless nights have become common, while commuting, working, and even taking exams during the day have turned into grueling ordeals under the scorching sun.
"It makes me anxious. We don't really know how to escape the heat. And we know it's going to keep happening in the years to come. Basically, there won't be any truly cool or livable summer anymore," said a local named Robin.
"Sleeping was really difficult-it was a struggle. I feel tired, a bit sluggish," said another local named Chloe.
A local named Benjamin resorted to covering his windows with emergency blankets to gain some relief.
"I covered my widows with emergency blankets. I only did it on one side because it makes the apartment quite dark, but on the side where I put them, I probably gained about two or three degrees of comfort. I never thought I'd have to do that in my own home. I am a teacher, and in the classrooms – I measured it before the end of the term – it was 34 degrees Celsius. And with students taking a tough exam last Friday, it made things very difficult," he added.
Laura who works in a bookstore considers herself fortunate to have built-in air conditioning in her apartment.
"I'm lucky – I have built-in air conditioning in my apartment, but we try not to use it too much, because it's noisy and also expensive. So we only turn it on as a last resort, at the very last minute. But sometimes it's unavoidable, because otherwise it's just unbearable," she said.
Locals also complained about the government's insufficient readiness for the hot wave.
"It's largely been insufficient, because we weren't prepared for the heat wave that just ended, nor are we for the ones still to come," said Robin.
"I haven't seen much being done to address this heat wave. I just saw announcements telling us to drink plenty of water – but we already know that. If we're expecting over 40 degrees Celsius in the coming weeks, it's going to be a problem. I don't think we're ready," said Laura.
Parisians underprepared as record heat wave grips France
