Tropical depression set to intensify, threaten Taiwan: CWA

Taipei, Sept. 27 (CNA) Tropical depression TD22, currently located over waters south of the Ryukyu Islands, will develop into a tropical storm by Saturday morning and pose a significant threat to Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecast Friday.

The depression, expected to rotate in a clockwise direction as it moves south, is likely to strengthen into a tropical storm named Krathon and then veer north toward waters off Taiwan's eastern coast, said CWA forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅).

Given the favorable environmental conditions for its development, TD22's intensity will reach at least typhoon levels, Hsu predicted at a press briefing.

As of 2 p.m. Friday, the tropical depression was located about 610 kilometers east-southeast of Taiwan's southernmost point, Cape Eluanbi, moving in a south-southwest direction at 14 km per hour.

TD22 was packing maximum sustained winds of 54 kph and gusts of up to 82.8 kph, according to CWA data.

The wind and rain associated with the depression's outer rim are expected to gradually intensify over the weekend, with the system potentially coming closest to Taiwan between next Tuesday and Wednesday, Hsu said.

By then, TD22 is likely to bring torrential rainfall to the northern, central and eastern parts of the island, while a sea warning or a land warning will also be possible, he said.

As a precaution, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency announced that forest parks in northern and eastern Taiwan may be closed on Sunday.

Meanwhile, TD21 developed into Tropical Storm Jebi on Friday afternoon, but because it is forecast to move north toward Japan it is not likely to affect Taiwan, the CWA said.

As of 2 p.m. Friday, Jebi was packing maximum sustained winds of 64.8 kph and gusts of up to 90 kph, forecasters said.

(By Yu Hsiao-han and Lee Hsin-Yin) Endtiem/ls