Typhoon Danas was the first typhoon of the 2025 Pacific typhoon season to make landfall in Taiwan. Danas made landfall in Budai Township, Chiayi County, and later re-emerged into the sea near the border between Taoyuan City and Hsinchu County. It was the first typhoon in 39 years since Typhoon Wayne in 1986 to make direct landfall north of Tainan while maintaining moderate typhoon intensity.
The typhoon and its subsequent rainfall caused nine direct or indirect fatalities and resulted in direct and indirect losses exceeding NT$2.9 billion.The Chiayi–Tainan region suffered exceptionally severe damage, representing the worst disaster recorded in the area's documented history. Some parts of Chiayi and Tainan experienced water outages lasting several days, while power and internet disruptions in certain areas lasted from one to two weeks, and in some cases up to a month. Along the coastal areas of Chiayi and Tainan, the roofs of a large proportion of residential buildings were blown off. Northern Tainan also announced seven consecutive days of work and school suspensions due to the extensive damage.
Formation and preparedness measures
The intensity classifications in this section follow the standards of the Central Weather Administration of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications of the Republic of China (Taiwan), under which a “typhoon” refers to a tropical cyclone classified as a tropical storm or stronger.
After a tropical depression affected Taiwan in June, Wu Der-rong, former director of the Forecast Center of the Central Weather Bureau, stated that a tropical disturbance was expected to develop east of the Philippines in early July. He noted that forecast models showed significant uncertainty regarding the development of tropical systems, while tropical disturbances in the northwestern Pacific were expected to become more active over the following two weeks.
As Tropical Disturbance 98W formed and moved into the Bashi Channel, WeatherRisk consultant Wu Sheng-yu pointed out that land interaction was limiting its short-term intensification. However, as it gradually entered the northeastern South China Sea, conditions became more favorable for gradual strengthening.
When Disturbance 98W strengthened into a tropical depression, the Central Weather Administration warned that forecast tracks from different meteorological agencies diverged considerably. Nevertheless, influenced by moisture from the southwesterly monsoon, the system was expected to affect Taiwan regardless of its eventual track. The following day, the agency stated that if the system further developed into a typhoon, a typhoon warning would be issued directly.
The tropical depression over the northeastern South China Sea intensified into a tropical storm at 2:00 a.m. on July 5. As Danas gradually strengthened and began turning northeastward toward Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration issued a sea warning at 8:30 a.m. At that time, Danas was located approximately 390 kilometers west-southwest of Eluanbi. As the storm continued to strengthen and approach Taiwan, a land warning was issued at 8:30 p.m. the same day, when Danas was approximately 330 kilometers west-southwest of Eluanbi.
The Central Emergency Operation Center was activated at 10:00 a.m. that day. During an inspection of the center, President Lai Ching-te instructed that areas identified by the Central Weather Administration and other relevant agencies as having high rainfall totals, elevated landslide risks, or the potential to become isolated should carry out preventive evacuations to mitigate the impacts of the rapidly changing typhoon and its associated hazards.
The Hong Kong Observatory stated that the system became trapped in a col region due to the presence of a high-pressure cell over southeastern China. At the same time, the strengthening of the equatorial anticyclone near the Philippines steered the system northeastward. Benefiting from sea surface temperatures of around 29 °C and a favorable environment characterized by weak vertical wind shear, Danas gradually intensified.
Former Director of the Hong Kong Observatory Lam Chiu-ying stated that, as Danas approached Taiwan, the influence of Taiwan's terrain led to the development of a secondary circulation center. Former Director-General of the Central Weather Bureau Cheng Ming-dean likewise noted that this newly formed center and Danas were embedded within the same monsoon depression. He further pointed out that indications of such a development had appeared in some numerical weather prediction models several days earlier.
Wu Sheng-yu further noted that the newly formed circulation center was of a meteorological scale comparable to that of Danas itself. As a result, it could increase the likelihood of the storm tracking closer to land. He did not rule out the possibility that the original circulation center might dissipate after landfall and subsequently be replaced by the northern secondary center, which could then continue moving northward and rejoin the storm's original projected track. Cheng Ming-dean later stated that, after Danas made landfall in Taiwan, the original circulation center and the newly formed center underwent structural reorganization over the offshore waters northwest of Taiwan.
Wu Wan-hua, a senior specialist of the Central Weather Administration, stated that Danas approached Taiwan at its peak intensity. She further projected that beginning late on July 6, the storm would gradually weaken under the combined influence of increasing vertical wind shear and decreasing sea surface temperatures.
Danas made landfall in Budai Township, Chiayi County, at 11:40 p.m. on July 6, and re-emerged over the Taiwan Strait at approximately 6:00 a.m. the following morning near the boundary between Taoyuan City and Hsinchu County. The Central Weather Administration lifted the land warning at 11:30 a.m. that day.
As Danas gradually moved away from Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration lifted all typhoon warnings at 5:30 p.m. on July 8. However, because disaster conditions remained unresolved in several counties and cities, the Central Emergency Operation Center remained activated at the Level 2 response level.
Preparations and impact
Before landfall While Danas was still a tropical depression located near the Philippines, its outer circulation began affecting Taiwan between July 4 and 5. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications issued torrential rain advisories for the mountainous areas of Miaoli County, as well as Taichung City, Yunlin County, Chiayi County, Chiayi City, and Tainan City.
In Taichung City, widespread thunderstorms developed beginning at 7:00 p.m. on July 4, overwhelming drainage systems and causing extensive flooding. The Taichung City Water Resources Bureau reported that Wenxin Road received 20 mm of rainfall within ten minutes, exceeding the capacity of the drainage system. The city's Construction Bureau stated that side ditches would be widened and the density of drainage grates increased in flood-prone areas to improve runoff collection during periods of intense rainfall.
Some reports suggested that flooding in parts of Taichung was primarily caused by metal covers that had not been removed from drainage channels. In response, the Taichung City Construction Bureau clarified that the structure described in the reports as a “drainage ditch” was in fact an unfinished catch basin associated with an ongoing sidewalk improvement project. Following the flooding, the city government decided to replace 120 drainage covers, a measure that drew criticism from elected representatives across party lines, who described it as a superficial response.
During the storm Southwestern Taiwan was among the first areas affected. Local disaster response centers in the Yunlin–Chiayi–Tainan region and the Kaohsiung–Pingtung–Penghu region were activated at the highest Level 1 response status.
Under the influence of Danas, flooding and inundation affected numerous residential areas and roadways across Taiwan. At the RT-Mart Jiali Store in Tainan, a rooftop billboard collapsed after being struck by Force 14 gusts.
As the center of Danas approached Penghu and Qigu District in Tainan, Force 16 gusts were recorded. After the storm made landfall in Budai Township, Chiayi County, Force 17 gusts were observed in Kouhu Township, Yunlin County, while the landfall location itself recorded Force 14 gusts. Between July 5 and the afternoon of July 7, cumulative rainfall totals reached 643 mm in Mudan Township, Pingtung County; 580.5 mm at the Daren Forest Station in Taitung County; 391 mm in Daliao District, Kaohsiung City; and more than 290 mm in Qimei Township, Penghu County.
In terms of cultural heritage sites, the entrance archway of the Nankunshen Daitian Temple, which had stood for approximately 40 years, collapsed due to the storm's strong winds. At the Tainan Mountain Garden Waterway Museum, more than 130 trees were either completely uprooted or partially toppled, including Japanese yew plum pines planted during the Japanese colonial period. Approximately 32 trees at the Longtian Cultural Park were toppled or tilted, while several large trees also fell in Feiyan New Village.
Among historic and cultural properties, damage was particularly evident at the Deji Trading Company building, the Soulangh Cultural Park, and the Anping Studio complex. At Deji Trading Company, roof tiles were blown off, water leaked into the second floor, and windows were shattered. Soulangh Cultural Park suffered a complete power outage and damage to portions of its roofing. The Anping Studio complex sustained more extensive damage, including a site-wide power outage, collapse of a side gate due to strong winds, partial wall failures, and damage to filming facilities. Chiayi Park in Chiayi City also sustained severe damage.
In rail transportation, services on both the Taiwan High Speed Rail and Taiwan Railways Administration experienced delays due to adverse weather conditions. The Alishan Forest Railway suspended operations during the passage of Danas.
In aviation, the Civil Aviation Administration reported that 22 domestic flights were cancelled and four were delayed on July 6. On the following day, a total of 177 domestic, international, and cross-strait flights were cancelled. Civilian and military aircraft were subsequently deployed to assist with the restoration of domestic air services and passenger transportation.
Maritime transportation was also affected. The Dongliu ferry route between Pingtung and Xiaoliuqiu was suspended from July 6 to 7. All Mini Three Links ferry routes were suspended on July 6, while the Kinmen–Quanzhou route remained completely suspended on July 7. During the typhoon, a moored yacht capsized and sank in Xingda Harbor.
Several fatalities were reported during Danas. At 9:00 p.m. on July 6, a single-vehicle accident occurred at the 378.7-kilometer northbound section of National Freeway No. 3, resulting in the driver being ejected from the vehicle and killed.
On July 7, two deaths were reported in Tainan City. One individual died after a ventilator ceased functioning due to a power outage, while another person was killed by a fallen roadside tree. In Budai Township, Chiayi County, a traffic accident occurred when an elderly man in his eighties was driving with his two daughters on County Road 13. Strong winds overturned the vehicle, resulting in the death of one of his daughters.
In Xinda Village, Xuejia District, Tainan City, a married couple was struck by an iron gate from their home. Both sustained serious injuries, but communication services were disrupted, preventing them from calling an ambulance and delaying medical treatment. One of the victims later died as a result of the injuries.
Subsequent heavy rainfall