Southern China braces for super typhoon Meranti

Super Typhoon Meranti, which according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center had maximum sustained winds of 155 knots, or almost 180 miles per hour, as of Monday afternoon eastern time, has southern Taiwan and coastal China in its sights for the middle of the week.

While forecasters believe there is a chance Meranti could follow along the same path as Super Typhoon Nepartak, which made landfall in July in southeastern Taiwan, there are no guarantees. Maximum wind speeds of up to 175 kilometres per hour is expected.

Taiwan will feel the full force of Typhoon Meranti on Wednesday and Thursday, as its center is forecast to make landfall in the Hengchun Peninsula in the southern county of Pingtung, according to the bureau. In that part of the world they are simply known as typhoons.

The Kinmen County government says that a charter ship service between Taichung and Kinmen counties will be canceled Tuesday, The Times also reports.

National Dong Hwa University, located in eastern Taiwan’s Hualien County, announced that classes will be canceled all day Wednesday, while administrative staff will not have to work past noon.

Tropical Cyclone Meranti classification and wind speed.

According to The Taipei Times, officials with the Maritime Port Bureau say 28 maritime services will be suspended Tuesday and Wednesday, majority to the outlying Orchid Island and Green Island.

The forecast calls for the storm to be weaker when it passes close to, if not over, parts of Taiwan on September 14.

The path of the other depression, which was west of Guam and moving northwest at 20kph, would have to be determined after further observation, as it is still about 2,000km from Taiwan, the bureau said.