Rainfall is to ease in most areas today, although localized downpours are still expected in Hualien and Taitung counties, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday.
A low-pressure system east of the Philippines is intensifying and is expected to approach Taiwan from Thursday to Saturday, CWA forecaster Chang Cheng-chuan (張承傳) said.
Whether it would develop into a tropical depression or a typhoon remains to be seen, he added.
Photo: Huang Ming-tang, Taipei Times
Taiwan would continue to be under the influence of the low-pressure belt over the week, which runs from east of the Philippines to Guam, Chang said.
Northern and northeastern Taiwan would see significant rain from Thursday to Friday, he said, adding that other tropical disturbances might develop within the belt during the period.
Showers and thunderstorms would continue across the nation today due to the influence of the belt, Chang said.
Photo courtesy of the Central Weather Administration
Rainy areas would narrow to Keelung’s north coast and eastern Taiwan tomorrow, he added.
State-run Taiwan Railway Corp said that heavy rainfall over the past few days affected services on the South Link Line in southern Taiwan, which were partially suspended earlier yesterday amid flooding.
As of 3pm yesterday, Taitung County’s Daren Township (達仁) recorded total rainfall of 331mm, Jhihben (知本) saw 281mm and Dawu (大武) reported 279.5mm, CWA data showed.
The CWA warned of landslides, falling rocks and sudden surges in river water levels in mountainous areas, and floods in low-lying areas after days of rain.
Heavy rain advisories for Hualien, Taitung and Kinmen counties, as well as the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島) and mountainous areas of Nantou County remain in effect until this morning.
Railway services between Pingtung County’s Fangliao Station and Taitung Station were suspended at 6:27am yesterday, after floods were reported at two sections of the rail line at 6:11am.
There was also a mudslide on tracks outside Taitung’s Dawu Station, which flooded it with muddy water, a photo taken near the station showed.
All train services running in a clockwise direction terminated at Taitung, while trains running in a counterclockwise direction traveled only to Fangliao, Taiwan Railway said, adding that all services were restored by 6:50pm.
People who were unable to take the train because of the service disruption can ask for a refund, with the processing fee waived, within one year from the date of travel, the company said.
Passengers on services delayed by more than 120 minutes can ask for information about taking another ride on the same type of train and journey using their original ticket, according to the train operator’s regulations.
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