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.
AGING: While Japan has 22 submarines, Taiwan only operates four, two of which were commissioned by the US in 1945 and 1946, and transferred to Taiwan in 1973 Taiwan would need at least 12 submarines to reach modern fleet capabilities, CSBC Corp, Taiwan chairman Chen Cheng-hung (陳政宏) said in an interview broadcast on Friday, citing a US assessment. CSBC is testing the nation’s first indigenous defense submarine, the Hai Kun (海鯤, Narwhal), which is scheduled to be delivered to the navy next month or in July. The Hai Kun has completed torpedo-firing tests and is scheduled to undergo overnight sea trials, Chen said on an SET TV military affairs program. Taiwan would require at least 12 submarines to establish a modern submarine force after assessing the nation’s operational environment and defense
Yangmingshan National Park authorities yesterday urged visitors to respect public spaces and obey the law after a couple was caught on a camera livestream having sex at the park’s Qingtiangang (擎天崗) earlier in the day. The Shilin Police Precinct in Taipei said it has identified a suspect and his vehicle registration number, and would summon him for questioning. The case would be handled in accordance with public indecency charges, it added. The couple entered the park at about 11pm on Thursday and began fooling around by 1am yesterday, the police said, adding that the two were unaware of the park’s all-day live
The coast guard today said that it had disrupted "illegal" operations by a Chinese research ship in waters close to the nation and driven it away, part of what Taipei sees a provocative pattern of China's stepped up maritime activities. The coast guard said that it on Thursday last week detected the Chinese ship Tongji (同濟號), which was commissioned only last year, 29 nautical miles (54km) southeast of the southern tip of Taiwan, although just outside restricted waters. The ship was observed lowering ropes into the water, suspected to be the deployment of scientific instruments for "illegal" survey operations, and the coast
A former soldier and an active-duty army officer were yesterday indicted for allegedly selling classified military training materials to a Chinese intelligence operative for a total of NT$79,440. The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office indicted Chen Tai-yin (陳泰尹) and Lee Chun-ta (李俊達) for contravening the National Security Act (國家安全法) and the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例). Chen left the military in September 2013 after serving alongside then-staff sergeant Lee, now an army lieutenant, at the 21st Artillery Command of the army’s Sixth Corps from 2011 to 2013, according to the indictment. Chen met a Chinese intelligence operative identified as “Wang” (王) through a friend in November
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