Four missing as heavy rains batter southern Taiwan, typhoon looms
Four people are missing after days of heavy rain flooded southern and eastern Taiwan, closing offices and schools. A typhoon is expected to pass near the island later this week.
Days of relentless rain from a slow-moving low-pressure system have caused widespread flooding across southern and eastern Taiwan, leaving four people missing and forcing the closure of government offices and schools in several major population centers.
The affected areas include the cities of Kaohsiung and Tainan, which together are home to more than four million residents, as well as the counties of Pingtung, Chiayi, Taitung, and Hualien. Local authorities in these regions ordered a halt to normal daily activities as streets turned into rivers and water levels continued to rise.
In Kaohsiung, officials said the five-day rainfall from this system could exceed 1.3 meters — a figure approaching half the city's average annual precipitation. Taiwan's fire department confirmed that three people are missing in Hualien and one in Tainan, with search efforts underway.
Taiwan Railway announced disruptions on the main east coast line, canceling express services between Kaohsiung and Taitung. Local trains are operating only on a conditional basis, depending on weather and track conditions.
Chipmaking giant TSMC, which operates facilities in Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Chiayi, said it had activated standard heavy-rain preparedness protocols at all its Taiwan plants and that production continues normally.
Taitung County Chief April Yao urged residents to stay indoors, writing on Facebook: "If you've got nothing on, for goodness sake don't go out."
Meanwhile, the Central Weather Administration is monitoring Typhoon Saudel, currently moving toward Japan's Okinawa region. The storm is projected to pass near northern Taiwan early Friday before heading toward the eastern coast of China, adding to the region's weather-related concerns.