Prayers for rain answered in Chiayi

The Cabinet's drought disaster-relief center lifted water restrictions in the Chiayi area yesterday, but a scheduled shut-off for parts of northern Taiwan will continue as planned for this weekend.

Kuo Yao-chi (郭瑤琪), executive-general of the center, said yesterday that heavy rains in the south had helped to relieve drought conditions in thhat area.

"Beginning today, the water supply in the Chiayi area will go back to normal," Kuo said.

More than 10 million tonnes of water are at Jenyitan (仁義潭) and Lantan (蘭潭) Reservoirs, the main sources of water to more than 800,000 residents living in Chiayi. Water rationing measures were imposed in Chiayi on April 18.

Chiayi Mayor Chen Li-chen (陳麗貞) held a ceremony yesterday to express the city's gratitude to the gods for answering the people's prayers for rain.

But the prayers of residents living in northern Taiwan have gone unanswered.

The drought disaster-relief center said a 36-hour water cutoff for Taoyuan County and 10 townships in Taipei County will go ahead as planned.

Water will be cut from midnight tonight to noon on Sunday. The center said water levels at the Shihmen Dam in Taoyuan County remain too low to lift the restriction.

Kuo said that mobile water-supply stations and water trucks will be brought to polling stations for tomorrow's borough chief elections.

Taiwan Water Supply Corp officials said 1,808 polling stations, most located at public schools, will be provided with water.

Hsieh Chi-nan (謝啟男), deputy managing director of Taiwan Water, reminded schools administrators to conserve water in preparation for tomorrow's polling.

"In addition, to ensure that water demand is met, Taiwan Water will transfer water to 14 voting stations that lack cisterns," Hsieh said.

Recent rainfall in northern Taiwan has increased water levels at the Shihmen Dam.

According to the Water Resources Agency, water at the reservoir yesterday amounted to roughly 2.9 percent of "effective capacity," or the total capacity above "dead storage" level.

Dead storage level refers to the level below which water must be pumped out.

Kuo said that if drought conditions continue in northern Taiwan, the water level at Shihmen will reach dead storage level by June 20.

The Feitsui Reservoir, which supplies Taipei City and County, is faring a little better, Kuo said. It won't be necessary to implement stricter water-rationing measures, whereby water would be cut to parts of the Taipei area twice a week on a rotating basis.

Still, Kuo couldn't say when current restrictions would be lifted. Since April 23, water has been cut to each part of the city once every five days.

Water at the Feitsui Reservoir yesterday was roughly 9.2 percent of effective capacity, according to the Water Resources Agency.

Meanwhile, torrential rains in central Taiwan led to mudslides in the Chilin borough (麒麟里) of Puli (埔里) township, Nantou County.

In Taichung County, two members of a rescue team were washed away while practicing rescue work. One was reportedly hospitalized after being rescued while the other died..

The Central Weather Bureau yesterday warned residents in central and southern Taiwan to be on high alert for heavy rains in the coming days.