Taipei: The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Thursday issued warnings of extremely torrential rain in central and southern Taiwan as persistent southwesterly winds continue to wreak havoc in the region.
According to Focus Taiwan, an extremely torrential rain advisory-indicating over 500 millimeters of rainfall within 24 hours-has been declared for areas including Taichung, Nantou, Chiayi, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung. The CWA has also issued heavy rain alerts for additional regions such as Tainan City and Changhua County. Although the southwesterly winds are expected to weaken later in the afternoon, the rain is likely to continue into the next day.
At a news conference, CWA forecaster Chao Hung revealed that Kaohsiung had experienced 927.5 millimeters of rain since Wednesday, with the heaviest rainfall occurring early in the morning. Totals have already surpassed 200 mm in Taichung, Nantou, and Kaohsiung. The CWA has cautioned residents in mountainous areas to remain vigilant against severe weather conditions, including the threat of landslides.
The persistent heavy rain has prompted office and school closures on Thursday across parts of Nantou, Yunlin, Chiayi, Pingtung, and Taitung counties, as well as in Tainan, Taichung, and Kaohsiung. The Central Emergency Operation Center (CEOC) reported that 3,705 residents have been evacuated due to flash floods, landslides, and road disruptions. While most evacuees are staying with relatives, 13 emergency shelters have been established, accommodating 254 people.
In a related incident, a section of the Southern Cross-Island Highway collapsed last night, causing a vehicle to plunge into a valley. Rescue operations are underway for the five individuals still unaccounted for. Several sections of provincial highways are currently closed to traffic, with road blockages affecting four others.
Independent meteorologist Wu Der-rong noted that the continuous rainfall is expected to persist through August 4. However, a shift in weather conditions is anticipated starting August 6, with temperatures potentially soaring to 38 degrees Celsius.