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Damp weather expected

The full moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival will be obscured by clouds in northern Taiwan, but can be seen clearly by residents in the south, the Central Weather Bureau said yesterday.

Forecasters predicted unstable weather for today. In northern and northeastern Taiwan, torrential rains can potentially to trigger landslides or mudflows in mountainous area.

The bureau issued heavy rain warnings yesterday for the north the northeast counties because of peripheral winds from Typhoon Maemi.

The typhoon, that passed the Ryukyu Islands yesterday, grew stronger and was heading for eastern China and South Korea at a speed of 14kph.

The bureau issued a strong-wind warning yesterday to warn ships in northern and northeastern waters of violent waves.

This afternoon, according to forecasters, Maemi will be about 250km from Naha, Okinawa.

Taipei saw rain early yesterday morning and in the afternoon. Police were busy dealing with accidents brought about by the torrential rain, including the collapse of a road in Yangmingshan, the malfunctioning of traffic lights and traffic jams caused by floods.

The greatest daily rainfall, in excess of 100mm, was measured in Neihu.

According to the Taipei City Government, water levels in rivers did not pose a threat.

In Sanchung, Taipei County, floods caused a two-hour temporary closure of an underpass.

Two major reservoirs in the north yesterday received limited rainfall. By 7pm yesterday, the Feitsui Reservoir in Taipei County had received 120mm of rain.

"The current situation should ensure a normal water supply until the end of the month," Feitsui Reservoir director Kang Shih-fang (康世芳) said yesterday.

The Shihmen Dam in Taoyuan County yesterday had received only 42mm of rain by press time.

Water Resources Agency Director Chen Shen-hsien (陳伸賢) said yesterday that it looked like the drought in the north would persist.

"We estimate that stricter water conservation measures will not be discussed until early next month," Chen said.
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