Flooding caused by heavy rain has disrupted railway services in western Taiwan, with only single-track operations available between Miaoli County’s Miaoli and Jhunan (竹南) stations yesterday morning, Taiwan Railway Corp said.
Taiwan Railway said that floodwater submerged tracks in Miaoli and Jhunan Township, causing some trains to turn back.
Rocks fell at the entrance of a tunnel between the two stations, it said, adding that it has set up an emergency task force to deal with the issue.
Photo courtesy of the Hsinchu County Government’s Fire Bureau via CNA
Rail services between Miaoli’s Dashan (大山) and Houlong (後龍) stations were suspended, also due to flooding, but operations on the western track returned to normal at about 7:10am as the water receded, it said.
Trains on the eastern track between the two stations ran at reduced speed, it added.
Rail services between Hengshan (橫山) and Jiuzantou (九讚頭) stations on the Neiwan Line in Hsinchu County were suspended because the tracks were submerged, Taiwan Railway said.
Photo courtesy of the Miaoli County Fire Bureau via CNA
Meanwhile, services at Taichung International Airport were affected amid thunderstorms, the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) said, adding that ground operations were suspended at 8:16am yesterday and lifted at 9:50am, with five flights delayed.
At 7:02pm, the airport again suspended ground operations due to thunderstorms, with services resuming at 7:18pm, the CAA said, adding that no flights were affected in that period.
Tainan Airport halted ground operations at 1:07pm due to lightning and heavy rain, it said. Operations resumed at 2:52pm, with four flights affected.
The airport suspended ground operations again at 6:40pm, as thunderstorms returned, it said. Services resumed at 7:25pm, with one additional flight affected.
In Hsinchu City, flooding affected two homes and submerged an underpass, while winds felled trees.
The city recorded 50.5mm of rain per hour, the Hsinchu City Government received said.
Miaoli also reported flooding around the Tongsiao Power Plant, with several roads and an underpass closed due to the flooding.
From midnight on Friday night to 5pm yesterday, the top 10 areas with the highest accumulated rainfall were all in Miaoli County, with total rainfall exceeding 300mm, Central Weather Administration rain gauge station data showed.
The area that reported the greatest accumulated rainfall was Sanwan Township (三灣), which had 360mm over the 17 hours, followed by Nanjhuang Township (南庄, 355.5mm) and Houlong Township’s High-Speed Rail Miaoli Station with 337mm, the data showed.
The weather system that brought all the rain would continue to affect the nation today, the CWA said.
There would be showers or thunderstorms in western parts of Taiwan early today, with a high likelihood of brief, intense rainfall and the possibility of heavy rain or localized torrential rain, it said.
In the east, there are expected to be occasional short showers or thunderstorms, it said.
As the front passes overhead, rainfall within a three-hour period might exceed 100mm, it said, adding that the public should be cautious when going outside.
Additional reporting by Peng Chien-li and Wu Liang-yi
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
STAY COOL: The HPA recommended that people stay hydrated, use air-conditioning or fans while indoors, wear loose-fitting clothes and walk in the shade while outdoors Employers must implement measures such as installing cooling equipment, and providing drinking water and rest breaks for outdoor workers starting from Monday next week, the Taipei Department of Labor said on Sunday. Employers who fail to comply could face fines of NT$30,000 to NT$300,000 under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (職業安全衛生法), the department said. Businesses in Taipei employing fewer than 100 workers, as well as registered self-employed workers with labor insurance coverage, could receive on-site assessments and guidance from occupational safety consultants to help them apply for central government subsidies to implement or improve heat-protection measures, it said. Under the Ministry of
NATIONAL SECURITY: Authorities are working to confirm the identities of the military personnel involved and investigating possible illegal conduct and regulatory violations Authorities are probing possible national security implications after Kinmen police and immigration officers on Sunday found a Chinese woman allegedly posing as a tourist while engaging in prostitution involving more than 10 military personnel. The woman, surnamed Chen (陳), has since been deported, authorities said, adding that investigators are still working to confirm the identities of those implicated, as the records only listed code names and aliases. The case stemmed from a report received by the Kinmen District Prosecutors’ Office on Friday last week from the Jinhu Precinct of the Kinmen County Police Bureau. On Sunday, police, along with the National Immigration
RSS