 Chris becomes second hurricane of Atlantic season Miami (AFP) July 11, 2018 - Tropical Storm Chris surged Tuesday into hurricane strength as it churned away from the US East coast and became the second hurricane of the Atlantic season, forecasters said. Chris, a Category One hurricane, packed maximum sustained winds of 85 miles per hour (140 kilometers per hour) and was about 205 miles east-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. It was headed northeast away from the United States, with "some additional strengthening" forecast Tuesday night and Wednesday, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center warned. It cautioned that swells generated by Chris "could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions" along the coast of North Carolina and the mid-Atlantic states. On Friday Beryl became the first hurricane of this Atlantic season before weakening. Remnants of Tropical Storm Beryl continued to be a rainmaker in the Caribbean, affecting the Dominican Republic and Haiti as well as Western Cuba, the NHC said. Last year was especially devastating with hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria tearing deadly paths through the Caribbean and southeastern United States.
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Schools and offices were closed in parts of Taiwan Wednesday as Typhoon Maria skirted the island bringing torrential rain and powerful winds.
Officials had warned of floods and landslides, evacuating thousands of people, but the storm weakened as it approached Taiwan and moved past it to the north.
Downpours of up to 100 millimetres (four inches) hit some areas overnight, according to the weather bureau, and strong winds were still expected as the storm moved northwest.
People were told to avoid the coast where waves as high as nine metres (30 feet) were recorded.
Television images showed trees felled overnight and blocking some roads in the mountains north of capital Taipei.
While official statistics did not record any fatalities, local media reports said a man fell to his death when he was checking the windows at his home.
Close to 3,500 people were evacuated across the island from areas prone to floods and landslides, with more than 2,000 soldiers mobilised.
About 43,000 households in Taiwan lost power at the typhoon's peak, and the storm also affected hundreds of flights.
Maria is the first typhoon of the season for Taiwan, and damage was limited for the island which is prone to violent storms through the summer.
Last year more than 100 people were injured when Typhoon Nesat battered the island, causing flooding and widespread power outages.
Maria made landfall in east China's Fujian province later Wednesday morning, Xinhua reported.
Typhoon warnings were also issued in Japan's southernmost region Wednesday as the storm passed through Okinawa, but no major damage was reported.
Japan is already reeling from its worst weather-related disaster for decades after days of deadly floods and landslides triggered by record rains killed at least 179 in the west of the country.
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Taiwan issues warning as Typhoon Maria approaches
Taipei (AFP) July 9, 2018
Ferries were suspended and farmers rushed for last-minute harvests Monday as Taiwan braced for Typhoon Maria, with warnings of possible mudslides and flooding as the storm nears.
Maria was 1,100 kilometres (684 miles) east-southeast of the capital Taipei with gusts of up to 200 kilometres an hour as of 2:30 pm local time (0630 GMT).
Waves were starting to pound the island's north and east coasts with the weather bureau predicting the typhoon's impact would be strongest on Tuesday night and Wedne ... read more
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