The nation battened down yesterday for the approach of Typhoon Matsa, as forecasters said it could hit the north of the country and unleash torrential rain and strong winds.
Because of the typhoon, Taipei City, Taipei County, Taoyuan County, Keelung City, Hsinchu County and Ilan County governments had, as of press time last night, announced to cancel classes for all schools today as well as the work-day for state-run offices and businesses. Hsinchu City and Miaoli County Governments announced only classes will be canceled today but the work-day remains.
The Central Weather Bureau urged residents to heighten their vigilance for the storm which hit late yesterday.
The bureau said the fringe of the typhoon would bring heavy rains to northern Taiwan starting late yesterday, and warned that mountainous regions should be prepared for torrential downpours.
There was danger of flooding in low-lying areas in the north and northeast, it added.
In the flood-prone capital, residents piled sandbags around offices and residential buildings.
The Taipei City Government demanded motorists remove cars from riverside parking lots.
Agricultural authorities urged residents in some mountainous areas to leave home for fear of landslides.
Residents stored water in the northern county of Taoyuan where water supplies have been hit repeatedly by typhoons in the past. A civilian air-raid drill slated for today was postponed.
Thousands of fishing boats took shelter in ports amid reports that a 40-tonne fishing boat ran aground off Taitung in the southeast and broke apart.
Matsa, the name of a fish in Laotian, was 290km east-southeast of Ilan City at 3pm yesterday.
RSS