Tropical Storm Hato formed yesterday afternoon in the waters to the east of the Philippines, the Central Weather Bureau said, adding it might issue a sea and land alert for the storm within 24 hours.
Hato evolved from a tropical depression system. Its name was given by the Japan Meteorology Agency and refers to Columba, a small, faint constellation first identified in the late 16th century.
Based on projections of the storm’s movement yesterday afternoon, the bureau said it could issue a sea alert for Hato late last night, which would be followed by a land alert this morning.
As of 5pm yesterday, Hato’s center was 790km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻) and moving northwest at 19kph, the bureau said.
Hato’s radius had reached 100km, and it could potentially grow into a typhoon, it added.
In other news, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) said many areas in Taiwan were yesterday exposed to dangerously high levels of ultraviolet radiation (UV).
People in Tataka (塔塔加) in Nantou County, where the EPA’s standard UV index reached 15 at 12pm, were at the greatest risk, the EPA said.
The UV index hit 14 on Yushan and on Orchid Island (蘭嶼, Lanyu) off Taitung and 13 in Taoyuan’s Sinwu District (新屋), Taichung’s Shalu District (沙鹿), Yilan County and Taitung.
Index readings of above 11 were registered in several other areas, including Keelung and Taoyuan; Hsinchu, Miaoli, Changhua, Chiayi, Pingtung, Hualien counties; and New Taipei City’s Banciao District (板橋), the agency said.
Given the high index levels, it urged the public to avoid outdoor activities between 10am and 2pm.
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