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Floods Kill Two in Taiwan as Twin Storms Approach Japan
Authorities warned of landslides and floods as the storms brought transport disruptions, flight cancellations and factory shutdowns across the country.
- On Friday, June 26, 2026, Tropical Storm Mekkhala skirted Taiwan, unleashing torrential rain that disrupted services for over 5 million people before barrelling toward the Japanese archipelago.
- Forecasters downgraded Mekkhala from a typhoon to a severe tropical storm, yet it retained gusts up to 144 kph as it approached Tropical Storm Higos, potentially triggering the Fujiwhara effect and complicating movement forecasts.
- Authorities in Japan ordered 2.2 million residents to evacuate across 13 prefectures, while airlines cancelled more than 200 flights and suspended train services amid high-level landslide and flood warnings.
- Taiwan reported two storm-related deaths, including a 73-year-old woman swept away in Kaohsiung and a 49-year-old woman found in a submerged car in Hsinchu county. Top government spokesman Minoru Kihara said Japan recorded one seriously injured and three with minor injuries.
- Hualien County officials evacuated nearly 200 residents downstream of a rapidly filling barrier lake after warnings that it could overflow within 48 hours, echoing 2025 precedent when 19 people died during Super Typhoon Ragasa.
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excelsio.netTorrential rain from passing storm shuts down southern Taiwan
Torrential rains from a passing typhoon caused flooding across southern Taiwan on Friday (June 26). Tropical Storm Mekkhala brought heavy rains to the southern regions of Kaohsiung, Tainan and Pingtung as it skirted the island before heading toward southern Japan's Ryukyu Islands.
·Bangkok, Thailand
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Authorities report injuries, flooded housing and issue maximum security alerts.
Japan braces for double storms, torrential rains shut down parts of Taiwan
·New York, United States
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Tropical storm Mekkhala brought heavy rainfall to the southern regions of Taiwan on Friday. In the city of Tainan, the water level was so high that scooters overturned and disappeared underwater. The Kyoto River also burst its banks on Friday. Storm Mekkhala is expected to approach eastern Japan on Saturday.
·Amsterdam, Netherlands (Kingdom of the)
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources86
Leaning Left16Leaning Right19Center19Last UpdatedBias Distribution35% Center, 35% Right
Bias Distribution
- 35% of the sources are Center, 35% of the sources lean Right
35% Right
L 30%
C 35%
R 35%
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