Changhua faces widespread power outages, flooding due to thunderstorms

Taipei, July 8 (CNA) Heavy thunderstorms with sustained lightning and thunder Tuesday morning has caused flooding and power outages in several areas in the central Taiwanese county of Changhua, including Lukang and Huatan townships.

Flooding was reported on several roads in Lukang, while on Zhangyuan Road in Huatan, floodwaters reached nearly half the height of a car tire as the Central Weather Administration (CWA) issued a real-time thunderstorm alert for Changhua during the morning.

The thunderstorms have also caused widespread power outages in coastal areas of the county.

After Taiwan Power Co. (Taipower) rerouted power via interconnected feeder lines to reduce the scale of the blackout, however, 4,478 households remained without power, according to Taipower's Changhua branch.

According to Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Changhua County Councilor Lai Qing-mei (賴清美), who visited coastal areas early in the morning, two villages in Shengang Township lost power and traffic lights were out, and parts of Hemei Township were also flooded.

The thunderstorms Tuesday morning also flooded the forecourt of the nationally designated historic Lukang Tianhou Temple up to knee height. The temple's main incense burner and offering tables were submerged in water.

Later Tuesday at 11:55 a.m., the CWA issued a torrential rain warning for Changhua. A torrential rain warning refers to accumulated rainfall of more than 350 millimeters within a day, or more than 200 millimeters within a 3-hour period.