The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) issued a sea warning for Tropical Storm Kai-Tak at 2:30pm yesterday, warning boats operating on the Bashi Channel between Taiwan and the Philippines to be on the alert. As of 5:30pm, the storm’s center was 610km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻). It was moving northwest at 19kph.
The sea alert applies to coastal areas to the east and southeast of Taiwan, and includes the Hengchun Peninsula, Green Island (綠島) and Lanyu (蘭嶼, also known as Orchid Island).
Bureau forecaster Lin Hsiu-wen (林秀雯) said the storm will come closer to the nation’s southern region between tonight and tomorrow morning. The storm’s circumfluence will increase the chances of heavy showers along the east coast today, she said.
Residents of Hualien and Taitung counties, as well as those in mountainous areas in southern Taiwan, must be aware of the potential for damage brought by extremely heavy or torrential rains. Based on the projected path of movement, the storm would not make landfall in Taiwan.
In related news, a magnitude 5.2 earthquake shook the nation at 6:55pm last night. The epicenter was in Sioulin Township (秀林), Hualien County. The depth of the quake was 21.5km.
The quake was felt at an intensity of five in Nanshan (南山), Yilan County, the bureau said.
The earthquake was felt at an intensity of two in Taipei’s Xinyi District (信義) and one in other areas of Taipei.
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