Warnings are still in effect after recent heavy rains wreaked havoc across central Taiwan, causing water rationing to be imposed on more than 860,000 households in the region.
Taichung and Changhua counties came under a water-rationing program on Tuesday. The program affects around 860,000 households and will remain in effect until Feb. 28.
Water resources in central Taiwan became contaminated following landslides caused by the recent week-long rains. This has greatly hampered the operation of water-purification plants serving these areas.
The rationing program, which came without advance notice, caught many residents by surprise and without any reserves of clean water.
Landslides have also destroyed three houses and cut off several roads in Nantou County, trapping several hundred residents.
Transportation links to Fengshan (豐山) village in Chiayi County were also cut off by landslides, while water levels continue to rise in Tsaoling Lake (草嶺潭), a barrier lake created during the 921 earthquake.
Officials from the Water Resources Department said they are monitoring the lake's water levels and warned residents not to enter the area.
Heavy rain warnings are still in effect for central, northern and northeastern Taiwan. The rains will continue to drench the island over the next three days, according to the Central Weather Bureau (CWB).
The current cold front over Taiwan will persist until Saturday and the mercury may fall as low as 12 Celsius in the days ahead, according to the CWB.
The CWB also called on residents of central Taiwan to stay on alert for more possible landslides in the days to come.
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