Taitung's Dawu Township sees highest July rainfall in 86 years

Taitung, Aug. 2 (CNA) The weather station at Dawu Township in Taitung County reported 1,851.5 millimeters of rainfall in July, the highest in the month since the station was established in 1939, according to Taitung Weather Station Director Jan Li-chun (冉立群).

Data from the Central Weather Administration (CWA) showed that 20 days of rainfall were recorded in the Dawu area during the month, with six consecutive days from July 17-22.

That was also the highest recorded nationwide in July, primarily influenced by nearby typhoons and seasonal southwesterly winds, said Jan.

Other weather stations in the county also recorded high July rainfall, including Taitung Weather Station in Taitung City with 879.5 mm and Chenggong Weather Station in Chenggong Township on the east coast with 979 mm, according to the data.

The continuous downpour flooded Dawu Junior Highschool's running track and caused multiple mudslides, which inundated houses and blocked sections of the South Link Highway running through Daniao, Shangwu, Nanxing in Dawu Township and Duoliang villages in Taimali Township.

Taiwan Railway operations were also affected, with muddy water flooding the tracks at Dawu station on July 21, and rain water leaking into Daniao Tunnel causing a partial power outage on the South-link Line on July 27.

Furthermore, rising water levels eroded multiple creek embankments, leading to road collapse and restricting traffic to scooters-only in Tuban Village, Daren Township.

Extreme weather-related monthly records in Taitung include a low of only 1 day and 4 mm of rain in July 2007, a low of 0.5 mm of rain in November 2004 and a maximum of 19 days of rain in November 1953, according to records from the Taitung Weather Station.

Other records include 46.5 mm of rainfall within 10 minutes on July 29, 1982, the highest daily rainfall of 484 mm on Sept. 9, 1990 and the highest annual rainfall of 3243.2 mm in 1947.