• Typhoon Fung-wong has led to the evacuation of over 8,300 people in Taiwan.
• Heavy rainfall has caused neck-deep flooding, particularly in eastern Taiwan's Yilan County.
• Schools and businesses have been closed as the storm approaches.

As Typhoon Fung-wong approaches Taiwan, evacuation orders have moved more than 8,300 residents to safer areas to mitigate the storm's impact. Local authorities have reported extensive flooding, particularly in eastern counties such as Yilan, where floodwaters have reached neck-deep levels in some locations. This comes after the typhoon had already resulted in 18 fatalities in the Philippines due to flooding and landslides, according to Channel News Asia, Reuters, and Al Jazeera.

Areas like Hualien County, known for being prone to landslides, have been heavily impacted, with schools and businesses shutting down as a precaution. The Taiwan Central Weather Administration noted that the storm's approach has already resulted in significant rainfall, some areas reporting up to 794mm (approximately 31 inches) within a single day. "It rained so much, and so fast, the drainage couldn't take it," stated local fisherman Hung Chun-yi, reflecting on the desperate situation in the town of Suao, according to Channel News Asia and Reuters.

The government's evacuation efforts are part of a larger emergency response strategy, as earlier typhoons have demonstrated the deadly potential of similar storms. Local authorities are particularly vigilant given the tragic toll taken by a typhoon in September that left 18 people dead in Hualien due to severe flooding. As the public safety threat looms, all domestic flights in the region have been suspended and remains on high alert, reports Channel News Asia and Al Jazeera.