Debris blown down road as Typhoon Koinu brings violent, record-breaking winds to Taiwan

Typhoon Koinu swept southern Taiwan on Thursday 5 October, injuring 190 people but causing no deaths as it brought pounding rain and record-breaking winds to the island, leading to school and office closures.

Koinu, which means “puppy” in Japanese, made landfall early Thursday in Cape Eluanbi, the southernmost tip of Taiwan, and is expected to weaken as it moves west toward Guangdong and Fujian provinces in southern China.

The typhoon brought the fastest wind ever recorded in Taiwan as it approached on Wednesday night.

Footage shows debris being blown down the road by violent winds, and buildings being battered by the adverse weather.