Extremely heavy rain to halt ferry services on seven routes Tuesday

Taipei, July 28 (CNA) Ferry services on seven routes around Taiwan are expected to be suspended Tuesday due to extremely heavy rain, with a total of 53 journeys affected, the Maritime and Port Bureau said Monday.

Routes with full cancellations include those between Pingtung County's Yanpu Township and Liuqiu Township, Taitung County's Fugang Fishery Harbor and Orchid Island, and Pingtung County's Hengchun Township and Orchid Island, the bureau said.

Partial suspensions are planned on four additional routes: between Donggang Township and Liuqiu Township in Pingtung County; Keelung City and the Matsu Islands in Lienchiang County; Beigan Township in Lienchiang County and Huangqi in China's Fujian Province; and Fugang Fishery Harbor and Green Island in Taitung County, it said.

The bureau added that four journeys were canceled Monday on the Beigan Township-Huangqi and Hengchun Township-Orchid Island routes.

Taiwan's Central Weather Administration (CWA) Monday said the ongoing rain is caused by southwesterly air currents, and it urged the public to watch for extremely heavy rainfall, lightning and strong gusts.

It also advised extra caution in mountainous areas due to the risk of landslides, falling rocks and river surges, and warned that low-lying areas may face flooding.