Heavy rain is expected to fall continuously this week, as the nation enters the peak of the plum rain season, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said yesterday.
The bureau issued a heavy rainfall forecast yesterday morning, raising it to a torrential rain warning in the afternoon.
Rainfall of more than 50mm over 24 hours — including at least 15mm within an hour — is expected for most of Taiwan proper, with the exception of Hualien and Taitung counties.
People living in mountainous western areas, in particular, are warned of heavy or torrential rainfall, while those in northern and eastern Taiwan are urged to prepare for heavy rainfall. People in low-lying areas are asked to take precautionary measures against flooding.
The heavy rainfall forecast was issued for Greater Taichung, Greater Kaohsiung and Greater Tainan, along with Chunghua, Yunlin, Nantou, Hualian, Taitung and Chiayi counties, as well as Chiayi and Hsinchu cities.
Heavy to torrential rainfall forecasts were issued for New Taipei City and Taoyuan, Miaoli and Hsinchu counties.
According to the bureau’s latest observations as of 7pm yesterday, the highest daily rainfall accumulations in the nation were 115cm at Maobitou (貓鼻頭) and 111.5cm at Hengchun (恆春), both in Pingtung County.
New Taipei City and Miaoli, Hualien and Taitung counties all reached a daily rainfall accumulation of more than 80cm as of 7pm yesterday.
The wet weather is the result of a stationary front stretching between northeastern Taiwan and Yunnan Province in southwestern China, bringing showers and thunderstorms, the bureau said.
With the monsoon expected to strengthen this week, the bureau said heavy showers are likely to spread across the entire nation before Wednesday.
It warned central and southern regions to prepare for the impact.
As the front is expected to affect the nation’s weather until Saturday, the bureau urges people to keep up-to-date with weather forecasts.
From Thursday, rain is expected to continue to hit the south, while areas in the north, northeast and east are likely to experience fewer downpours, the bureau said.
The high temperatures this week are forecast to be between 30?C and 32?C, while lows are expected to range from 24?C to 25?C.
Additional reporting by CNA
SHIPS, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES: The ministry has announced changes to varied transportation industries taking effect soon, with a number of effects for passengers Beginning next month, the post office is canceling signature upon delivery and written inquiry services for international registered small packets in accordance with the new policy of the Universal Postal Union, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday. The new policy does not apply to packets that are to be delivered to China, the ministry said. Senders of international registered small packets would receive a NT$10 rebate on postage if the packets are sent from Jan. 1 to March 31, it added. The ministry said that three other policies are also scheduled to take effect next month. International cruise ship operators
HORROR STORIES: One victim recounted not realizing they had been stabbed and seeing people bleeding, while another recalled breaking down in tears after fleeing A man on Friday died after he tried to fight the knife-wielding suspect who went on a stabbing spree near two of Taipei’s busiest metro stations, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. The 57-year-old man, identified by his family name, Yu (余), encountered the suspect at Exit M7 of Taipei Main Station and immediately tried to stop him, but was fatally wounded and later died, Chiang said, calling the incident “heartbreaking.” Yu’s family would receive at least NT$5 million (US$158,584) in compensation through the Taipei Rapid Transit Corp’s (TRTC) insurance coverage, he said after convening an emergency security response meeting yesterday morning. National
PLANNED: The suspect visited the crime scene before the killings, seeking information on how to access the roof, and had extensively researched a 2014 stabbing incident The suspect in a stabbing attack that killed three people and injured 11 in Taipei on Friday had planned the assault and set fires at other locations earlier in the day, law enforcement officials said yesterday. National Police Agency (NPA) Director-General Chang Jung-hsin (張榮興) said the suspect, a 27-year-old man named Chang Wen (張文), began the attacks at 3:40pm, first setting off smoke bombs on a road, damaging cars and motorbikes. Earlier, Chang Wen set fire to a rental room where he was staying on Gongyuan Road in Zhongzheng District (中正), Chang Jung-hsin said. The suspect later threw smoke grenades near two exits
The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency yesterday launched a gift box to market honey “certified by a Formosan black bear” in appreciation of a beekeeper’s amicable interaction with a honey-thieving bear. Beekeeper Chih Ming-chen (池明鎮) in January inspected his bee farm in Hualien County’s Jhuosi Township (卓溪) and found that more than 20 beehives had been destroyed and many hives were eaten, with bear droppings and paw prints near the destroyed hives, the agency said. Chih returned to the farm to move the remaining beehives away that evening when he encountered a Formosan black bear only 20m away, the agency said. The bear