Downpour floods parts of Taipei

Torrential rain yesterday afternoon left many areas in Taipei City and Taipei County flooded, with cars getting caught in water deep enough to stop their engines.

Taipei Water Department figures showed that Zhongyang S Road, Beian Road and Tongan W Road in Taipei City experienced knee-deep flooding between 2pm and 3pm.

The area from section 7 to section 9 along Yanping N Road, which is close to Zhongyang S Road, was also heavily flooded.

Taipei Water Department officials said there was also flooding in the city's Shilin District because so much rain fell in such a short period, but no homes were flooded and the water there began to recede around 4pm.

Taipei County Government Fire Bureau reports showed that Sanchong (三重) had been hardest hit in Taipei County, with 0.5m of water flooding the intersection of Jhengyi N Road and Zihciang Road and on Jhongshan Road and other roads in the area surrounding the Sanchong City Office.

Sanchong Deputy Mayor Chiu Wu-chuan (邱武全) said 75mm of rain fell in just more than one hour.

Sinjhuang (新莊) and Taishan (泰山) in Taipei County were also affected by flooding, he said.

Fortunately, the rain ended almost as abruptly as it began and pumping stations could were able to drain the flooded areas, he said.