Torrential rains could soak parts of Taiwan for several days beginning tonight as Tropical Storm Haiyan builds strength and moves closer to the island, the Central Weather Bureau said yesterday.
The bureau anticipates that it may have to issue a sea warning for the storm sometime today.
In addition, the weather bureau said Haiyan could develop into a typhoon -- which would make it the 21st this year -- shrouding Taiwan for about two days beginning tomorrow.
As of 5pm yesterday, the storm was located 940km from Hengchun in Pintung County, Taiwan's southernmost tip.
Weather forecasters said the storm was heading in a northwesterly direction at 11kph.
According to Lin Ding-yi (
"There is a chance that mountainous areas in northern Taiwan and along the east coast will face heavy rainfall between [today] and Thursday," Lin said.
"It's too early to determine how much precipitation Haiyan will bring to Taiwan and whether the rainfall will lead to flooding," the bureau said. "But we do not rule out such a possibility, which seems high now."
Lin said that with Haiyan's slow pace, the effects of the storm could last until Friday.
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