Weeklong Storm Front Puts Taiwan on High Alert With Strong Winds and Rain
A powerful storm system is sweeping across Taiwan, bringing intense downpours and strong winds that have seen work and school suspended in parts of six cities and counties. In Hualien, first responders rescued a man swept away by a surging river after a 15-hour search. With forecasters predicting the strongest rainfall through Wednesday, residents in mountain villages are evacuating as floodwaters and toppled trees disrupt traffic nationwide.
First responders covered in mud... caring for a man who’s just been rescued from this surging river in Hualien... after a 15-hour search.
He works on a control dam, and was trying to move heavy machinery out of the riverbed during the downpour when he was swept away in his car.
HUANG CHUN-TSE, FORESTRY & NATURE CONSERVATION AGENCY (Hualien, Taiwan):
"Work is currently suspended. But because it has been raining these past few days there were concerns that the machinery might get submerged so we asked the site supervisor and the excavator operator to move them to a safe location."
Weather authorities have issued a nationwide warning for afternoon downpours until Wednesday.... they say this is only the beginning of a week-long storm.
LEE MENG-HSUAN, CENTRAL WEATHER ADMINISTRATION (Taipei):
"As the southwest wind strengthens into a southwest monsoon and as the weather front passes there may also be brief, intense rain spells along with some strong gusts so all parts of Taiwan should remain vigilant as level-8 winds may occur."
Across Taiwan, six cities and counties have suspended classes and work in some districts.
Several university campuses are grappling with flooding...
And strong winds have toppled trees... cutting off traffic.
CHANG TSAI-LIANG, DONGSHI NEIGHBORHOOD CHIEF (Taichung, Taiwan):
"Of course, the water accumulated from the downpours contributed to the tree falling but the sudden gusts are the main cause."
As the storm front moves further south... residents in mountain villages are evacuating those who need medical attention...
In the southern city of Kaohsiung... flooding is impacting traffic...
VENDOR (Kaohsiung, Taiwan):
"The rain lasts an hour or two and it takes at least half an hour for the water to recede. That’s why there’s traffic control here. There’s nothing we can do about traffic jams, though."
The outlying islands are also on high alert.
All ocean transportation is suspended until Wednesday when the worst of the storm is expected to have passed.... but it also means island residents will be cut off from daily supplies.
CHENG YA-FANG, FERRY COMPANY (Pingtung, Taiwan):
"Two days of suspended services is actually a huge hassle for residents, hostel owners and tourists. There’s a final re-supply service on Tuesday morning."
Taiwan has seen a series of extreme weather events in the past month...
Just a few weeks ago, the country sweltered under record-breaking heat... And now it’s seeing disastrous rain.
As the typhoon season approaches... residents here may be forced to adapt to ever more unpredictable weather.
