WEATHER
CWB issues heat warning
The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) yesterday issued a “yellow” heat warning — signifying temperatures of more than 36oC in a single day — for Taipei, Kaohsiung and Taitung County. Daytime temperatures in Taipei stayed high due to the city’s location in a basin where heat is not easily dispelled, the bureau said. A lack of conditions to disperse heat also resulted in high daytime temperatures in Kaohsiung, it said. As for Taitung, the high temperatures were caused by foehn winds, which are hot, dry and strong downslope winds. Elsewhere in the nation, daytime temperatures ranged between 32oC and 34oC yesterday, similar to the previous day.
SOCIETY
Thirty-seven win millions
Thirty-seven people became instant millionaires in the March-April uniform invoice lottery, 18 of whom won the NT$10 million (US$317,430) special prize, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. The number of winners who won the special prize was the second-highest on record. The bimonthly uniform invoice lottery system is managed by the ministry to encourage consumers to collect their purchase receipts as part of government efforts to prevent tax evasion by retailers. The winning number for the NT$10 million special prize was 03802602 and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize was 00708299. Winners can claim their prizes from Thursday until Sept. 5, the ministry said.
TRANSPORT
TRA to sue train makers
Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) on Sunday said that the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) would file lawsuits to seek restitution from Sumitomo Corp and Nappon Sharyo Ltd — the Japanese manufacturers of Taiwan’s Puyuma Express — for the derailment of the express train in Yilan last year, which killed 18 people and injured more than 200 people. After the deadly accident, the contractors first admitted that they had made mistakes in the maintenance manual for the express train, but now say it was TRA’s poor maintenance that led to the accident, Lin said. The TRA has detained a guarantee fund of NT$430 million that was supposed to be given to the contractors, Lin said, adding that the agency would file lawsuits if they still refuse to offer compensation through the negotiations.
TRANSPORT
Driver fatally hit by two cars
A driver who ran out of gas on a freeway in New Taipei City died after he was struck twice by passing vehicles after running to the middle of the road to seek help, police said. The incident took place in the early hours on Monday last week on the southbound section of the Wuyang Elevated Freeway, which connects the city’s Wugu District (五股) and Taoyuan’s Yangmei District (楊梅). Police said the driver stopped on the freeway shoulder after running out of gas and then ran to the middle of the road, into oncoming traffic, hoping to get help. His wife, who remained in the passenger seat, told police that her husband wanted to try and stop a passing vehicle to borrow some gas, after placing an emergency triangle behind his car. The man’s vehicle broke down at the 37.6km marker of the freeway. He was first struck by a car, thrown to the outer lane, and moments later, run over by another passing driver in a sports utility vehicle. Authorities said the man died of severe head injuries and multiple fractures.
Tropical depression TD22, which was over waters south of the Ryukyu Islands, is likely to develop into a tropical storm by this morning and pose a significant threat to Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The depression is likely to strengthen into a tropical storm named Krathon as it moves south and then veers north toward waters off Taiwan’s eastern coast, CWA forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. Given the favorable environmental conditions for its development, TD22’s intensity would reach at least typhoon levels, Hsu said. As of 2pm yesterday, the tropical depression was about 610km east-southeast of Taiwan proper’s
RESTRICTIONS: All food items imported from the five prefectures must be accompanied by radiation and origin certificates, and undergo batch-by-batch inspection The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday announced that almost all produce from five Japanese prefectures affected by the 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant disaster would now be allowed into Taiwan. The five are Fukushima, Gunma, Chiba, Ibaraki and Tochigi. The only items that would still be blocked from being imported into the nation are those that are still banned from being circulated in Japan, the FDA added. With the removal of the ban, items including mushrooms, the meat of wild birds and other wild animals, and koshiabura” (foraged vegetables) would now be permitted to enter Taiwan, along with the other
Four factors led to the declaration of a typhoon day and the cancelation of classes yesterday, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. Work and classes were canceled across Taiwan yesterday as Typhoon Krathon was forecast to make landfall in the southern part of the country. However, northern Taiwan had only heavy winds during the day and rain in the evening, leading some to criticize the cancelation. Speaking at a Taipei City Council meeting yesterday, Chiang said the decision was made due to the possibility of landslides and other problems in mountainous areas, the need to avoid a potentially dangerous commute for those
A new tropical storm is expected to form by early tomorrow morning, potentially developing into a medium-strength typhoon that is to affect Taiwan through Wednesday next week, the Central Weather Administration said today. There are currently two tropical systems circulating to the east of Taiwan, agency forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. The one currently north of Guam developed into Tropical Storm Gebi this afternoon and is expected to veer toward Japan without affecting Taiwan, Hsu said. Another tropical depression is 600km from the east coast and is likely to develp into the named storm Krathon either late tonight or early tomorrow, he said. This
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