WEATHER
More plum rain expected
The third wave of plum rain arrived in Taiwan yesterday, bringing cloudy skies and occasional showers across the nation until tomorrow, independent meteorologist Daniel Wu (吳德榮) said yesterday, adding that he expected sunny weather to resume on Tuesday. Wu forecast that another weather front would approach the nation late on Wednesday, bringing more rain. Meanwhile, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday issued heavy rain advisories for the northern half of Taiwan and heat warnings for regions in the south. The rain yesterday brought down temperatures slightly in northern and central parts of the nation, the CWA said. Temperatures ranged from 22°C to 26°C in northern Taiwan and 23°C to 31°C in central and northeastern Taiwan, it said.
Photo provided by the Central Weather Administration
TRANSPORTATION
Railroad tracks repaired
Rail traffic in Hualien County, which had been disrupted by a landslide, has fully resumed after about a week of intense repairs of damaged tracks, Taiwan Railway Corp (TRC) said yesterday. A hillside section between Chongde (崇德) and Heren (和仁) stations in Hualien’s Sioulin Township (秀林) was fully repaired at about 10pm on Friday and trial operations were conducted. The western line of the section reopened with the first train running on it yesterday at 5:45am, operating under the speed limit to ensure safety, the state-owned company said. The eastern line on the section of the North Link Line reopened on Wednesday, as it had sustained less damage. The landslide occurred on Sunday last week following heavy rainfall in the region. About 200m of bridges and tracks were damaged, with about 3km of track buried under mud and rocks, including 140m inside a tunnel, the TRC said. In addition, about 300m of the main suspension wire and contact wire of the overhead catenary system were severed. Signal and communications fiber-optic cables, as well as the main power cable, were also damaged over 300m, it said.
ELECTRICITY
Summer rates to take effect
Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) has announced that higher summer electricity rates would be in effect from Sunday next week to Sept. 30 for about 15 million households and small businesses. Electricity bills for the general household were on average NT$478 higher during each summer month, according to the state-run company’s calculations based on past electricity use. However, about 70 percent of the higher cost is due to increased use of electricity from air-conditioning, and only 30 percent reflects the higher electricity rates, it said. Summer rates only apply to households that use more than 120 kilowatt-hours (kWh) in a month, meaning that about 3.83 million households that use less than that would not be affected by the higher summer rates, it said. The electricity rates for households are based on a progressive system with six levels. Households using more than 1,000kWh in a month would see summer electricity rates of NT$8.46 per kWh, while those using less power would enjoy the lowest rate of NT$1.68 per kWh, the company said. Summer electricity rates are implemented to reasonably reflect the cost difference of power supply during the peak season, it said. Taipower on Friday began charging about 26,000 high-voltage electricity users higher summer rates until Oct. 15.
Costa Rica sent a group of intelligence officials to Taiwan for a short-term training program, the first time the Central American country has done so since the countries ended official diplomatic relations in 2007, a Costa Rican media outlet reported last week. Five officials from the Costa Rican Directorate of Intelligence and Security last month spent 23 days in Taipei undergoing a series of training sessions focused on national security, La Nacion reported on Friday, quoting unnamed sources. The Costa Rican government has not confirmed the report. The Chinese embassy in Costa Rica protested the news, saying in a statement issued the same
Taiwan is to extend its visa-waiver program for Philippine passport holders for another year, starting on Aug. 1, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said on Friday. Lin made the announcement during a reception in Taipei marking the 127th anniversary of Philippine independence and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The decision reflected Taiwan’s commitment to deepening exchanges with the Philippines, the statement cited Lin as saying, adding that it was a key partner under the New Southbound Policy launched in 2016. Lin also expressed hope
Temperatures in New Taipei City’s Sindian District (新店) climbed past 37°C yesterday, as the Central Weather Administration (CWA) issued heat alerts for 16 municipalities, warning the public of intense heat expected across Taiwan. The hottest location in Taiwan was in Sindian, where the mercury reached 37.5°C at about 2pm, according to CWA data. Taipei’s Shilin District (士林) recorded a temperature of 37.4°C at noon, Taitung County’s Jinfeng Township (金峰) at 12:50 pm logged a temperature of 37.4°C and Miaoli County’s Toufen Township (頭份) reached 36.7°C at 11:40am, the CWA said. The weather agency yesterday issued a yellow level information notice for Taipei, New
CASE: Prosecutors have requested heavy sentences, citing a lack of remorse and the defendants’ role in ‘undermining the country’s democratic foundations’ Five people affiliated with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), including senior staff from the party’s Taipei branch, were indicted yesterday for allegedly forging thousands of signatures to recall two Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers. Those indicted include KMT Taipei chapter director Huang Lu Chin-ru (黃呂錦茹), secretary-general Chu Wen-ching (初文卿) and secretary Yao Fu-wen (姚富文), the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said in a news release. Prosecutors said the three were responsible for fabricating 5,211 signature forms — 2,537 related to the recall of DPP Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) and 2,674 for DPP Legislator Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) — with forged entries accounting for
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