Heavy rain brought by a low-pressure system and strong southwesterly winds triggered widespread flooding, landslides and damage across central, southern and eastern Taiwan yesterday, disrupting travel and prompting mass evacuations.
As of 6pm yesterday, torrential rains had left one person dead in Tainan, four missing — one each in Tainan and Pingtung County and two in Hualien County — and 155 injured nationwide, the Central Emergency Operation Center said.
The center added that 4,263 people were evacuated across the nation: 2,649 in Kaohsiung, 765 in Pingtung County, 567 in Tainan, 224 in Hualien County, 46 in Taitung County and 12 in Chiayi County.
Photo courtesy of a member of the public
In Kaohsiung, continuous downpours caused roads to collapse in Cianjhen (前鎮), Renwu (仁武) and Gangshan (岡山) districts, including a sinkhole 3m long, 2m wide and 1.2m deep on Cianjhen’s Guangsi Road.
In Tianliao District (田寮), a landslide on a road near Neian Bridge on Sunday afternoon left more than 30 residents temporarily stranded before clearance operations began.
Pingtung County reported severe urban and agricultural flooding, particularly in Wandan (萬丹), Chaojhou (潮州) and Donggang (東港) townships, where water levels reached thigh-high on several major roads.
Photo courtesy of the Lioujia District Office
In Tainan, 24-hour accumulated rainfall exceeded 400mm in Yongkang (永康) and Rende (仁德) districts.
Rising water levels along the Sanye River (三爺溪) caused flooding in low-lying areas, forcing the temporary closure of both ramps to Rende Interchange on Freeway No. 1.
As the roads near An Nan Hospital were also inundated, firefighters used inflatable boats to transport about 200 people seeking medical treatment.
Continuous rain also caused a side wall of the Great East Gate, a national historic site constructed in 1725, to collapse early yesterday morning after rainwater seeped into its base.
In Hualien County, several southern townships recorded more than 300mm of rainfall, and surging water in the Siouguluan River (秀姑巒溪) washed away the temporary Yuchang access road connecting Yuli (玉里) and Changliang (長良).
Firefighters were searching for a hospital security guard who was reported missing after his mobile phone signal was last detected near the crossing.
Authorities also closed several mountain roads and temporary bridge crossings in southern Hualien as a precaution.
Nearby, at the Wanli River (萬里溪) barrier lake, the water level dropped by 4.7m, reducing its volume by about 1 million tonnes. Nonetheless, authorities maintained a red alert for the river channel. All 209 people in the evacuation zone around the river landslide-dammed lake have been evacuated.
Heavy rain is forecast to continue across most of the country through this morning, with torrential rainfall likely in the southern and southeastern areas due to strong southwesterly winds and multiple weather systems, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said.
As Typhoon Saudel continues to move toward Taiwan, a sea warning might be issued tomorrow, it said.
Saudel is forecast to approach the Ryukyu Islands tomorrow before turning southwest and passing close to Taiwan on Thursday and Friday, it said.
While the center has a low probability of making landfall in Taiwan, its storm circulation would affect northern Taiwan and the Matsu Islands (Lienchiang County), it said.
Another tropical storm, Atsani, which formed southeast of the Philippines at 8am yesterday, is expected to be absorbed into Saudel’s circulation, the agency said.
A third storm, Narra, near Vietnam yesterday, is not expected to directly affect Taiwan, the CWA said.
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