Typhoon Mekkhala Peripheral Rain Sparks Severe Floods in Taiwan

Although it won't make direct landfall in Taiwan, Typhoon Mekkhala's powerful outer rain bands have joined forces with a southwest wind front to slam Taiwan with severe rainfall. Southern regions bore the initial brunt, with Kaohsiung hit by midnight flash floods and Pingtung recording over 500 mm of rain. In the east, Hualien authorities have issued a yellow alert and evacuated over 200 residents as an unstable barrier lake on the Wanli River is on the verge of collapsing.