Storm Danas claims lives of two, leaves hundreds wounded in Taiwan
**Headline:** Typhoon Danas Causes Destructive Gusts, Widespread Power Outages, and Multiple Fatalities in Southwest Taiwan
**Subhead:** The storm, which made landfall on July 6, 2025, was the first typhoon to hit Taiwan's central western coast since Typhoon Wayne in 2020.
Typhoon Danas, the destructive storm that swept through southwest Taiwan, has left a trail of devastation in its wake. The storm made landfall in the Chiayi County area late on Sunday, bringing with it gusts of up to 222 km/h.
The storm caused significant damage, particularly in the Chiayi area, with strong winds reaching level 14 to 15 on the Beaufort scale in Penghu and strong gusts along the western coastal areas of Taiwan. The storm led to widespread power outages, affecting around half a million households.
Nearly 3,500 people were evacuated from their homes, primarily in mountainous areas around the southern port city of Kaohsiung, as reported by firefighters. The evacuations were necessary due to the potential for additional infrastructure disruptions, such as transportation cancellations.
Sadly, the storm resulted in multiple fatalities. A 69-year-old man was killed by a fallen tree while driving, and a 60-year-old man died due to a power outage that caused his ventilator to stop functioning. At least 491 people have been treated for injuries, and the total number of fatalities may have increased due to these incidents.
The total amount of rainfall across Taiwan over the weekend may have caused further damage and flooding. Danas dumped more than 500 millimetres (20 inches) of rain across southern Taiwan, according to the weather agency. The storm may have caused additional evacuations and potentially increased the number of affected households without power.
Taiwan is accustomed to frequent tropical storms from July to October, but the destruction caused by Typhoon Danas is a stark reminder of the potential dangers posed by these powerful storms. As of Monday morning, nearly 400,000 homes remained without power, and the total number of homes without power may have increased since then.
The storm was the first typhoon to hit Taiwan's central western coast since Typhoon Wayne in 2020, and it serves as a grim reminder of the need for continued vigilance and preparedness in the face of these natural disasters.
Weather-forecasting agencies and meteorologists should closely monitor the weather patterns after Typhoon Danas, as its aftermath may cause further destruction, particularly floods, due to the excess rainfall it left behind in Taiwan. In light of the significant damage and fatalities caused by Typhoon Danas, there is a pressing need for improvements in weather-forecasting equipment and techniques to provide more accurate and timely warnings for future storms.
