Torrential rain caused by the combined effects of southwesterly winds and a low-pressure belt battered southern Taiwan yesterday, causing widespread flooding, fallen trees and road closures across Tainan, Kaohsiung and Pingtung County.
More than 2,300 people were evacuated as authorities warned of continued heavy rain through tomorrow.
Tainan, Kaohsiung and Pingtung County yesterday announced that work and classes would remain suspended today for the second consecutive day amid heavy rain and flooding. Chiayi, Hualien and Taitung counties later last night also announced that work and classes would be canceled today.
Photo: Liu Wan-lin, Taipei Times
In Kaohsiung, 2,203 people were evacuated from across multiple districts, while 34 rivers in Liouguei (六龜) and Maolin (茂林) districts were under red debris-flow alerts. Another 115 people were evacuated across Pingtung County as heavy rain triggered flooding and other disruptions.
Several motorists were caught in floodwaters. In Kaohsiung’s Niaosong District (鳥松), a car traveling along a flooded road was nearly submerged, but the three people inside escaped and were rescued without injury.
Kaohsiung’s light rail service was briefly disrupted yesterday morning after a train traveling between Heart of Love River (C24) and Longhua Elementary School (C23) stations made light contact with a fallen tree.
Photo courtesy of a member of the public
Fallen trees and mud blocked roads in Renwu District (仁武), while trails around the Heart of Love River (愛河之心) in Sanmin District (三民) were inundated, with water reaching waist height in some areas.
Flooding was reported in numerous parts of Kaohsiung, including Gushan (鼓山), Nanzih (楠梓), Zuoying (左營), Renwu, Yongan (永安), Gangshan (岡山), Daliao (大寮) and Yancheng (鹽埕) districts.
The Kaohsiung City Government upgraded its disaster response center from Level 2 to Level 1 yesterday as the rain intensified.
Photo: Liu Wan-lin, Taipei Times
In Tainan, rain fell almost continuously from late Saturday night through yesterday morning, causing flooding in Yongkang District (永康).
Although the rain eased at about noon and floodwater began to recede, another round of heavy rain struck between 2pm and 3pm, causing renewed flooding in Yongkang. Police were again deployed to control traffic.
The Tainan City Government had prepared 511 mobile water pumps and 68 pumping stations, while five additional pumps were requested from the central government to accelerate drainage.
Pingtung County had reported flooding at 36 locations as of 4pm yesterday, including areas in Jiadong (佳冬), Neipu (內埔) and Shihzih (獅子) townships and Pingtung City. Eight fallen trees were also reported, and several roads were closed, including sections of Provincial Highway No. 1 and the northbound entrance ramp of the Linbian Interchange on National Freeway No. 3.
Provincial Highway No. 24 between kilometer markers 27.4 and 37.3 was also closed as a precaution because about 400mm of rainfall was forecast over 24 hours in the mountainous area.
Extremely heavy rain or more severe rainfall was expected to continue in southern and eastern Taiwan through tomorrow, Central Weather Administration forecaster Yeh Chih-chun (葉致均) said.
Weather conditions are forecast to become relatively stable on Wednesday, before rainfall in northern Taiwan increases from Thursday, depending on Typhoon Saudel’s movements, he said.
As of 3pm yesterday, accumulated rainfall in Kaohsiung exceeded 300mm, while Tainan and Pingtung recorded about 270mm to 290mm. Taitung had also received nearly 200mm.
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