CIEE Security Alert – Taiwan

Typhoon Kong-rey tracking northwestward over the Philippine Sea. Landfall forecast over Taitung County, Taiwan, late Oct. 31.

As of 05:00 CST, the system's center of circulation was approximately 474 km (295 miles) south-southeast of Taipei, Taiwan.
Forecast models indicate that the weather system will weaken slightly as it tracks northwestward and makes landfall over northeastern Taitung County, Taiwan, during the afternoon of Oct. 31. 

The storm is likely to weaken rapidly after landfall but remain a typhoon as it tracks north-northwestward across Taiwan late Oct. 31 before entering the Taiwan Strait. Kong-rey is expected to weaken into a tropical storm as it turns to tracks north-northeastward off the coast of Fujian, then Zhejiang provinces in China Nov. 1, before tracking northeastward across the East China Sea late Nov. 1-Nov. 2.

CIEE Taiwan has suspended program operations for October 31st and November 1st requiring all participants to remain indoors and follow all local safety guidelines. CIEE classes will held online during this time. CIEE Taiwan staff maintains continuous communications with all CIEE Taiwan participants. As this is an ongoing and developing situation, we will continue to monitor the situation closely and remain in contact with our participants to ensure their ongoing safety.