Water restrictions loom closer as typhoon dissipates

Water restrictions in Taiwan are unlikely to be lifted or postponed as Typhoon Krovanh passed too far south of the country to provide significant rainfall, Central Weather Bureau officials said yesterday.

The bureau lifted its sea warning on Saturday afternoon when Krovanh weakened into a light typhoon after making landfall in the Philippines on Friday.

The typhoon caused serious damage when it swept across the Philippines' Luzon island.

According to the bureau, the typhoon was located about 520km southwest of Oluanpi at the southern tip of Taiwan at 8am yesterday.

The typhoon did not bring any rain to Taiwan, which has been threatened with water shortages for weeks, officials said.

The weather bureau had forecast that Typhoon Krovanh would bring heavy rains on Friday, which might have postponed water restrictions, especially in Keelung City and the greater Taipei area.

The water level of the Feitsui Reservoir -- Taipei City's main supply of water -- was at 136.7m by 7pm yesterday, according to the reservoir administration.

Further water-conservation measures will be launched should the water level fall to 130m, the water resources agency of the Ministry of Economic Affairs said.

The weather bureau said high temperatures and clear skies will prevail across Taiwan in the coming week. Temperatures are expected to reach a high of 35?C in the north.

Although the typhoon sea warning has been lifted, the weather bureau said ships sailing near the Tung Sa islands in the South China Sea and in the Bashi Channel between Taiwan and the Philippines should be alert to strong winds.

The weather bureau said there was still a chance of more typhoons developing before the end of summer.