Work and travel resume across Taiwan after Typhoon Krathon finally dissipates

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KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan (AP) — Work, classes and flights resumed across Taiwan on Friday after Typhoon Krathon brought torrential rainfall to the island but finally dissipated over a mountain range.

A heavy rain advisory remained in place for the northern coast and mountainous areas, where two landslides occurred early Friday.

Krathon had brought much of the island to a standstill for three days but weakened to a tropical depression early Friday. Its center moved back over the sea after making a “U-turn” across the island’s southwestern tip overnight.

Schools and businesses reopened with the exception of the city of Kaohsiung, Pingtung County, and some parts of Hualien County and New Taipei. Domestic flights, which had been grounded for two days, resumed.

Krathon lashed Kaohsiung with winds up to 126 kph (78 mph) and higher gusts. It felled trees and flooded roads. Heavy rains and flooding also occurred along Taiwan’s southern and eastern coasts. Mountainous Taitung County saw 171 centimeters (5.6 feet) of rain over six days.

Two people died earlier in the week and one person remained missing, according to Taiwan’s fire department. The missing person was swept off a bridge.

Authorities had expected Krathon to bring devastation comparable to a major typhoon that swept Kaohsiung in 1977, causing 37 deaths.

But it lost steam shortly after making landfall in Kaohsiung and reaching the mountains northeast of the city, according to the Central Weather Administration.

Krathon was one of only two typhoons in recent history to “die” over Taiwan, beside Typhoon Trami, in 2001, the weather agency said.

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Associated Press journalist Taijing Wu in Taipei contributed to this report.