Sea warning issued as typhoon nears

The Central Weather Bureau issued a sea warning yesterday for Typhoon Shanshan, which was posing a threat to ships operating in seas east of Taiwan and bringing with it the threat of strong winds and torrential rain.

According to the weather bureau, as of 8:30pm, Shanshan -- the 13th tropical storm in the Western Pacific this year -- was located about 460km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), the southernmost tip of Taiwan.

Packing winds of 144kph and gusts of up to 180kph, the typhoon's 200km radius was moving west-northwest at 10kph.

Forecasters said its speed might increase to 13kph, while its direction was expected to change to north-northwest.

The bureau cautioned ships operating in seas to the northeast and southeast of Taiwan and in the Bashi Channel (巴士海峽) to take precautions.