WorldTAIPEI, AFP -Parts of Taiwan were brought to a standstill Wednesday as super typhoon Meranti skirted past the island's southern tip, bringing the strongest winds in 21 years and disrupting traffic ahead of a major holiday. Although typhoon Meranti did not make landfall, the storm brought violent winds and torrential rain to eastern and southern Taiwan. Hengchun's observation station recorded the strongest winds in its 120 year history earlier Wednesday, according to Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau. “It is the strongest typhoon to hit Taiwan in 21 years in terms of maximum sustained wind near the centre,” said forecaster Hsieh Pei-yun. Meranti is now moving away from Taiwan northwest into the Taiwan Strait at 17 kilometres an hour, heading towards southern China.

Source: Sunday Times September 14, 2016 10:52 UTC