Video
TYPHOON TAKEDOWN

Dramatic moment scooter rider is wiped out by huge piece of flying debris as 185mph Super Typhoon Meranti batters Taiwan

The massive storm threatened several cities with terrifying winds, torrential rain and flooding as it barrelled towards China

THIS is the dramatic moment a scooter rider is flattened by a huge piece of flying debris as Super Typhoon Meranti pummelled Taiwan.

More than half a million homes lost power and several people were hurt as the monster storm battered the island with 185mph winds on its devastating path to China.

Advertisement
Incoming! A scooter rider drives down a road in Super Typhoon Meranti unaware a huge piece of debris is flying towardsCredit: Liveleak
Too late... the man tries to jump off his scooter as the massive object careers towards himCredit: Liveleak
Total wipe out... he's sent flying as the debris smacks him in the faceCredit: Liveleak
The rider is sent skidding across the road as rain hammers down on the roadCredit: Liveleak

One of the injured victims was caught on camera riding his scooter down a road as rain hammered down.

He slams on the brakes after apparently spotting a huge piece of debris careering towards him.

But he was unable to jump off his vehicle in time and he smashed in the face, sending him skidding along the road.

Emergency workers said many power lines were brought down by strong winds, some by falling trees, cutting electricity to 550,000 households.

Advertisement

 

Vehicles are crushed by broken power lines as Super Typhoon Meranti batters Taiwan with 185mph windsCredit: Barcroft Media
A car drives past a collapsed traffic sign which has been toppled by Typhoon MerantiCredit: Getty Images
A NASA satellite image shows Super Typhhon Meranti as it passes the Philippines and travels towards TaiwanCredit: NASA
Advertisement

Emergency centre spokesman Li Wei-sen said: 'The damage from Meranti will continue to rise as the storm slams the island.

"Losses probably cannot be avoided, but we'll try to minimise casualties."

Related stories

NORTHERN SHOWER HOUSE
Flooded supermarkets and submerged cars ... it wasn't much fun up North
'shame of Japan'
Minister slammed for demanding PIGGYBACK over a puddle in Japanese town ravaged by storm
CAMEL NO!
Stunning weather girl causes a storm with an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction
BROLLY WALLIES
Hilarious pics show Japanese commuters battling winds as Typhoon Mindulle cancels 500 flights

Trains and shipping services were disrupted, while offices and schools in Kaohsiung and other cities were closed and almost 1,500 people were evacuated, the centre said.

Most domestic flights have been cancelled, including all of those from Kaohsiung airport, where international flights were also severely affected.

Advertisement
A motorist braves through high winds and rain of Super Typhoon Meranti in Kaohsiung, southern TaiwanCredit: EPA
Trees are uprooted and high winds and rain from Super Typhoon Meranti lash Kaohsiung, southern TaiwanCredit: EPA
A motorist holds on to a post as she braves high winds and rain of Super Typhoon Meranti in Kaohsiung, southern TaiwanCredit: EPA

Taiwan will feel the full force of the typhoon through Wednesday and into Thursday before it barrels into China, meteorologists said.

Advertisement

Meranti is expected to make landfall in the southern Chinese provinces of Guangdong and Fujian on Thursday, where authorities were cancelling trains and preparing to evacuate people, state media said.

In Guangdong province, authorities ordered trawlers to return to harbour and fishermen to take shelter.

The official China News Service said the storm could be the strongest typhoon to hit that part of China since 1969.

Typhoons are common at this time of year, picking up strength as they cross the warm waters of the Pacific and bringing fierce winds and rain when they hit land.

Advertisement
A truck is blown down by strong winds as Typhoon Meranti hits TaiwanCredit: Barcroft Media

Meranti comes just over two months after the deadly typhoon Nepartak cut power, grounded flights and forced thousands to flee their homes across central and southern areas of Taiwan.

In 2009, Typhoon Morakot cut a swath of destruction through southern Taiwan, killing about 700 people and causing up to $3 billion of damage.

American environmentalist, Bill McKibben, tweeted an image of the storm and said it was “as scary a pic as I’ve ever seen.”

Advertisement

The super typhoon will likely dampen celebrations and disrupt traffic during the four-day Mid-autumn Festival holiday period starting Thursday, a major holiday in Taiwan, Hong Kong and China.

As well as the evacuations and closures, the defence ministry said it had ordered about 33,000 soldiers to be on standby.

Three people were killed and hundreds were injured when super typhoon Nepartak pounded Taiwan in July with the strongest winds in over a century.

Topics
Advertisement
machibet777.com