More than 20 Taiwan-bound flights have been forced to divert to Hong Kong as Severe Tropical Storm Kong-rey battered the island with fierce winds.
Hong Kong’s Airport Authority said that 24 flights destined for Taiwan had been diverted to the city as of 10.30pm on Thursday.
The powerful typhoon, which made landfall in Taitung county at 1.40pm on the same day saw Taoyuan International Airport contending with winds of up to 83 knots – the highest ever recorded at the facility.
The storm had caused 1,429 reported incidents as of 8pm, including one fatality and 73 injuries across Taiwan, according to local media.
The extreme weather also disrupted air traffic at Taoyuan airport, with 138 incoming and 129 outbound flights cancelled due to the storm.
At least 28 flights destined for the airport were diverted to nearby ones in Hong Kong, Jeju, Okinawa, Singapore, Kaohsiung and Songshan.