STRONG WINDS DAMAGE PROPERTY IN KAOHSIUNG|高雄午後颳強風 百貨大門掀.港區空貨櫃落

The wrath of Typhoon Meranti was especially felt after noon in Kaohsiung yesterday, with class-13 gusts barreling across the port city. Storefronts and roll-up doors were destroyed in the downtown area, and at the port, empty cargo containers were knocked over like lego blocks. Here's our comprehensive report. On September 14, strong winds started to ravage Kaohsiung after noon. Department stores suffered damage such as broken metal door shutters and fallen ceilings, and many of them closed their businesses. Also, in Kaohsiung's Hsiaokang district, a motorcyclist was hit by a fallen sign. He was so startled that he abandoned his bike and ran away. ==DEPARTMENT STORE EMPLOYEE== We are still waiting for our company to notify us not to work. However, as things stand, I think we can get off work now. In the downtown area, trees were uprooted, and fallen signs were everywhere. A convenience store in Kaohsiung's San Min district was severely damaged. Broken windows, fallen shelves and signs were spread across the entire store. Also, in Kaohsiung's Hsiaokang district, cargo containers were seen toppling. An empty cargo container weighs at least 2.2 tons. ==WITNESS== Oh my ! It is dangerous. The fallen container will hit the fishing boats. At the Kaohsiung harbor, mighty winds broke the mooring ropes of a steamship. The ship was thus carried offshore. It is estimated that at least 16 ships suffered the same fate in Kaohsiung. ==CHEN WEN-HSIN, Director of Kaohsiung Weather Service Office== The maximum wind gust measured today in Kaohsiung was force 13. If a gust is over force 9, chimneys can be blown down. Therefore, in terms of the wind force, it is devastating. Although the maximum average wind gust measured in Kaohsiung was only force 7, the winds still caused great damage because the maximum gust reached force 13.To restore all damage, residents have to wait until the typhoon passes over. TRANSLATED BY：ARIEL HSIEH 中午過後，高雄颳起強風，有百貨公司鐵門被掀開、天花板崩落，趕緊拉起封鎖線，各大百貨公司原定下午一點過後要開始營業，也緊急喊卡，員工只得冒雨回家，只是騎在路上真的太危險，高雄小港有騎士被迎面而來的招牌砸中，嚇得趕緊棄車逃離。 ==百貨公司員工== 是在等公司的通知啦 但是應該是 照這個情況來看的話 應該是可以下班了 市區不少路樹被連根拔起，招牌滿天飛。便利商店也遭殃，高雄三民區一間超商，不敵瞬間強風，店內玻璃全破，門架、招牌東倒西歪，幸好沒人受傷，就連小港地區堆放私人貨櫃的貨櫃堆置場，也被民眾發現，一只至少2.2公噸重的空貨櫃，像積木一樣不斷被吹落。 ==目擊民眾== 啊啊啊 這撞下去 危險了 這個會跑去撞漁船那一邊 高雄港也出現驚人的畫面，民眾發現有輪船纜繩被吹斷，船隻被吹離岸邊，根據統計，高雄至少有16艘船，船隻斷纜。 ==高雄氣象站主任 陳文信== (今天測到瞬間)最大陣風呢 是13級 以相同的級數來看的話 它如果超過9級(風)啦 煙囪呀 就突出物都會被吹倒 所以 如果以陣風來看的話 破壞力是很大 高雄氣象站14號測得最大平均風力是7級，但瞬間最大陣風有13級，的確可能造成損害，想清理家園，恐怕還得再等等。 記者 王柔婷 陳顯坤 高雄報導