Changhua hit by flooding following torrential rain

Taipei, July 8 (CNA) Changhua County was drenched by intense rain and thunderstorms Tuesday morning, with over 250 millimeters of rainfall recorded in just three hours.

The heaviest burst brought 153 mm of rain between 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., leading to flooding that submerged much of the historic Lukang Mazu Temple around noon and forcing railway suspensions between Changhua and Yunlin by 2 p.m.

The storm was triggered by a combination of warm southwesterly winds and airflows associated with Tropical Storm Danas, which fueled rapid storm development across central Taiwan, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

Meanwhile, over 30,000 lightning strikes were recorded above Changhua between 10 a.m. and noon, including more than 5,800 visible cloud-to-ground flashes, according to WeatherRisk Explore Inc., a private weather service provider.

Although rainfall began easing by the afternoon, the CWA warned that neighboring Yunlin and Nantou counties could still see extreme weather conditions at night.

At 4 p.m., heavy rain alerts were issued for large parts of central and southern Taiwan, where rainfall could exceed 350 mm in 24 hours or 200 mm in 3 hours, the CWA said.

A low-pressure system and southwesterly winds will bring more moisture through Thursday, leading to wider rainfall coverage and a higher chance of intense downpours, especially in central and southern Taiwan, the CWA said.

Northern and eastern regions may also see brief showers or thunderstorms, with localized heavy rain possible in the afternoon.

With the strengthening of the Pacific high-pressure system, Taiwan will return to typical summer weather over the weekend, with scattered showers in the south and mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies elsewhere, along with isolated afternoon thunderstorms, the CWA said.