page_title: Typhoon Wipha (2007)
section_title: Taiwan
hierarchical_section_title: Typhoon Wipha (2007) / Preparations / Taiwan
caption_attribution_description: NRL GMS6 IR satellite image taken on September 17, 2007 at 1930 UTC of Typhoon Wipha, cropped from original image.
context_page_description: Typhoon Wipha, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Goring, was the strongest typhoon to threaten the Chinese coastline since Typhoon Saomai in August 2006. Forming out of a tropical disturbance on September 15, 2007, it quickly developed into a tropical storm, and intensified into a typhoon the following day with the appearance of an eye feature. After a period of rapid intensification, Wipha attained its peak intensity on September 18, with winds of 185 km/h and a barometric pressure of 925 mbar, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Later that day, the storm began to weaken as it interacted with the mountainous terrain of Taiwan before brushing the northern edge of the island. Wipha subsequently made landfall near Fuding along the Fujian-Zhejiang provincial border with winds estimated at 185 km/h by the JTWC. Shortly thereafter, the typhoon weakened as it moved inland, weakening to a tropical storm within 18 hours of moving over land.
  Nearly 2 million residents along the Chinese coastline evacuated ahead of Typhoon Wipha's arrival. Nearly 20,000 Chinese soldiers were deployed to the area to assist residents in reinforcing flood barriers and speeding up evacuations.
context_section_description: The Songshan Airport in Taipei was shut down due to the threat of Typhoon Wipha. All businesses, including the stock exchange, were closed for September 18. Typhoon warnings were issued in northern areas of the island and residents were warned about the possibility of landslides in the mountainous regions. Accordingly, 169 people left landslide-prone areas. An additional 237 people were evacuated from the northern areas of Taiwan due to the storm. A code red alert was issued for the areas closest to the center of the cyclone. Nearly 4,300 Chinese fishermen sought refuge in Taiwan after being called back to port.
caption: Infrared satellite image of Typhoon Wipha near Yaeyama Islands on September 17
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