Storm looming off southern Japan poses no threat to Taiwan

Taipei, Aug. 12 (CNA) A depression tracking off southern Japan is likely to strengthen into a tropical storm in the coming hours, but poses no threat to Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) reported on Monday.

The depression, currently located in waters off southern Japan and over 1,000 kilometers from Taiwan, could develop into a tropical storm to be named Ampil within 24 hours, as it moves toward Japan, CWA weatherman Lin Ting-yi (林定宜) told CNA.

On Monday morning, Tropical Storm Maria had already made landfall in Japan's Iwate Prefecture and was moving toward the Sea of Japan, while Tropical Storm Son-Tinh was steadily approaching from waters off eastern Japan, Lin said, reminding Taiwanese travelers planning trips to the country to be vigilant about their personal safety amid climate change.

Meanwhile, the CWA has issued heavy rain warnings for 16 cities and counties across Taiwan as a result of the effects of convective clouds.

The affected areas include Nantou, Chiayi, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung and Yilan as well as the mountainous regions of Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Taichung, Yunlin, Hualien and Taitung.

According to Lin, brief afternoon thunder showers, brought by a depression system, will occur across most of the country from Thursday through the weekend.