Workplaces, schools to mostly reopen Friday across Taiwan

Taipei, Oct. 31 (CNA) Authorities in Taiwan's 22 cities and counties announced on Thursday evening that schools and workplaces would open again in all but a few districts Friday, as Typhoon Kong-rey moves away from Taiwan.

On Taiwan proper, city authorities in Taipei, Tainan, Chiayi, Hsinchu, and Keelung, as well as county authorities in Changhua, Miaoli, Pingtung, and Yunlin, all separately declared that residents in all parts of their administrative districts will return to work and school on Friday, after all areas of Taiwan had a "typhoon day" on Thursday.

However, city authorities in New Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung, and Kaohsiung, as well as county authorities in Yilan, Nantou, Chiayi, Hsinchu, Hualien and Taitung separately announced that, while most areas within their jurisdictions will return to school and work on Friday, certain districts, townships, villages will suspend work and classes for a second consecutive day.

Local governments in Taiwan's outlying counties of Kinmen and Penghu also announced on Thursday evening that classes and work will continue as scheduled on Friday, though Lienchiang (Matsu Islands) announced a second consecutive "typhoon day" in their jurisdiction.

The vast majority of people in Taiwan will return to work and school on Friday despite the Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecasting "heavy rain" to "extremely torrential rain" in several parts of Taiwan on Thursday night through Friday.

According to the CWA, the heaviest rains are forecast in Hualien and Taitung counties, and mountainous areas of Yilan County, Nantou County, Taichung City and Hsinchu County.

Heavy rain and strong winds brought by Kong-rey, a strong typhoon that made landfall in Taitung's Chenggong Township in eastern Taiwan on Thursday at 1:40 p.m., battered the country throughout the day.

The storm has already claimed at least one life and injured 73 across Taiwan, according to the Central Emergency Operation Center (CEOC) on Thursday.