The Central Weather Bureau warned yesterday that the weather will be unstable nationwide in coming days, with heavy rain expected to last until tomorrow at least.
People living along the western half of Taiwan were urged to be alert to flood damage.
The bureau said that people in mountainous areas in the northeast in particular should watch out for mudslides and falling rocks.
The bureau said 22 locations suffered heavy rain yesterday, with Fulung in Taipei County recording the highest rainfall.
Because of heavy rain over the past few days, a segment of Chungshan Road in Chungho, Taipei County, sank between 1m and 2m yesterday morning.
It was estimated that a 28m segment of the road collapsed, fracturing water and gas pipes buried underneath.
"I could smell the gas coming out of the pipes," one resident said. "The situation was really dangerous, so I rushed to wake up other residents in the building and then got out."
The Taipei County fire department evacuated a total of 24 households from the five apartment buildings at the scene.
Of the 76 residents evacuated, 63 are staying at a motel in neighboring Yungho.
In Yunlin County, heavy rains have triggered a series of landslips in Linnei Township's Pingting Village since Thursday night.
The Yunlin County Government established an emergency center, which evacuated about 70 people later that night, although some were unwilling to leave.
They were moved to a shelter at the Linnei Township farmers' association.
Some experts from the 921 Earthquake reconstruction committee also inspected the scene.
The center will decide whether it is safe for the residents to return after its investigation is completed on Wednesday.
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