TAIPEI — Taiwan cancelled parts of its annual military drills on Tuesday as authorities step up preparations for what they say could be the most damaging typhoon to hit the island in nearly four years. Typhoons are common at this time of year near Taiwan but the subtropical island has not been directly hit by a typhoon since 2019, prompting officials to urge vigilance. Taiwan’s defense ministry cancelled parts of the main annual Han Kuang exercises scheduled for Tuesday, citing safety concerns and the need to make preparations for the coming storm. Taiwan’s weather bureau has issued sea warnings and said it will issue land warnings for its southern counties later on Tuesday, urging residents there to prepare for heavy rains and strong winds. “Taiwan has not seen any typhoon making landfall in more than 1,400 days, and that’s why I urge all government ministries that they must gear up and make preparations,” Premier Chen Chien-jen said in a post on Facebook.
