Taiwan Braces As Typhoon Podul Nears Southeastern Coast

Authorities in Taiwan were scrambling on Tuesday to evacuate hundreds ahead of a possible landfall by Typhoon Podul on the island’s southeastern coast, while nearby areas battle to recover from floods and record winds brought by previous storms.

Taiwan is regularly hit by typhoons, generally along its mountainous, sparsely populated east coast facing the Pacific.

The mid-strength Typhoon Podul, packing gusts of as much as 155 kph (96 mph), was heading for the southeastern city of Taitung as it intensifies and was expected to make landfall nearby on Wednesday, weather officials said.