Typhoon Songda is slowing down as it approaches Taiwan, raising hopes that it could change its course, bypass the country and have less of an impact than originally feared, weather forecasters said yesterday.
The Central Weather Bureau said it was still evaluating the storm's possible bearings before deciding whether to issue a warning for ships in Taiwanese waters.
PHOTO: FANG PIN-CHAO, TAIPEI TIMES
The speed of the storm's advance had slowed from 19kph early yesterday to 14kph, while maintaining sustained winds of 175 kph, the weather bureau said.
Songda was located in the Pacific Ocean about 1,200km east of Taiwan, and was still moving west toward the island, forecasters said.
However, a weakening patch of high pressure over the Pacific could cause the typhoon to veer to a more northerly path, reducing its impact on the island, the weather bureau said.
The forecasters said rain was likely in most parts of the island over the coming days, and the government urged hikers to stay away from mountainous areas over the weekend. Songda is named after a branch of Vietnam's Red River.
Taiwan is still searching for victims lost in flooding and mudslides triggered by Typhoon Aere last week in the north. The storm killed more than 30 people and left several missing.
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