The sun was still shining in parts of southern Taiwan early yesterday, but the central government as well as local authorities went on high alert as Tropical Storm Fung-Wong (鳳凰) slowly made its way toward that part of the nation from the northern Philippines.
As of 4pm yesterday, Fung-Wong was centered 220km southwest of Taiwan’s southernmost tip, Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), moving north at 16kph, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said.
It was packing maximum sustained winds of 90kph, with gusts reaching 119kph, according to the bureau, adding that Fung-Wong is expected to make landfall some time after dawn today.
Photo: Tung Chen-kuo, Taipei Times
At press time last night, Greater Taichung, Greater Tainan, Greater Kaohsiung and Chuanghua, Yunlin, Taitung, Pingtung and Penghu counties had declared today a typhoon day, canceling work and classes.
The southeastern, southern and eastern areas, as well as mountainous areas in the north of central Taiwan, are expected to be hit with torrential rains, the bureau said, adding that southeastern and southern Taiwan, which have been experiencing regional downpours since yesterday, would see increased precipitation today.
In Greater Kaohsiung and Greater Tainan, where flooding has occurred in recent years, authorities were yesterday preparing for evacuations and other emergencies.
Photo: Chu Tse-wei, Taipei Times
The bureau urged people in mudslide-prone areas to be on the alert, while reminding people who plan to head to the beach to beware of big waves generated by the tropical storm. The bureau said that waves off the nation’s southeastern shore already measured up to 5m tall yesterday, while those in other places reached 3m.
There is concern that the storm’s unusual path could mean serious damage to areas in the western part of the nation.
Fung-Wong’s projected route suggests that the eye of the storm is likely to make landfall and that the entire nation could be engulfed in stormy winds and heavy rain, the bureau said.
While all regions should step up their preparations for the storm, the coastal plains in the western half face greater threats than usual because of their lack of shelter from Fung-Wong, the bureau said.
Records show that typhoons or the less powerful tropical storms that affect Taiwan usually approach from the east, the southeast or the northeast, and their ability to cause damage often diminishes as their structure is broken up by the mountain ranges that lie along the length of the island.
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
RSS