Southwesterly winds trigger flooding, landslides in Taiwan

Taipei, July 30 (CNA) Torrential rains driven by seasonal southwesterly winds have caused severe flooding, landslides and road closures across central and southern Taiwan, local authorities said Wednesday.

Taichung, Kaohsiung, Nantou County, and Chiayi County were among the hardest-hit areas, prompting authorities to issue flood alerts, suspend classes and advise residents to avoid mountainous regions amid the ongoing unstable weather.

In Taichung's Dongshi District, homes were flooded Tuesday night after heavy rain overwhelmed a drainage canal; although water receded within two hours, officials distributed sandbags the next morning amid fears of further flooding.

Meanwhile, flood alerts were issued for multiple townships in Nantou County on Wednesday as heavy rainfall led to ankle-deep flooding in low-lying areas, stranding vehicles and inundating roads and neighborhoods.

In Nantou's Xinyi Township, flooding and continued rain forced the local government to suspend work and classes from 9:30 a.m. Wednesday to ensure public safety.

In Chiayi County, two mountain roads -- Route 162A toward Taiping and Route 152 in Zunnan Village -- were blocked by landslides, cutting off access.

The county government suspended school and work in five rural townships, including Meishan and Alishan, and closed all forest parks and nature trails, including the Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, for safety reasons.

In Kaohsiung's mountainous areas, two roads were closed due to landslides -- the Taoyuan section of the Southern Cross-Island Highway and a part of Provincial Highway No. 27.

Officials warned that unstable terrain and poor visibility posed ongoing risks and urged people to avoid mountain roads unless necessary.

The Central Weather Administration (CWA) has forecast that heavy rain will continue in central and southern Taiwan through early Thursday as southwesterly winds shift northward.

It expected up to 340 millimeters of rain in low-lying areas of Kaohsiung and Pingtung County from about Wednesday noon to Thursday noon, and more in mountainous regions.

Since Monday, several locations in Kaohsiung, Tainan, Chiayi County and Pingtung County have recorded over 500 millimeters of rain, according to CWA data.

Meteorologist Wu Der-rong (吳德榮) warned that unstable weather could persist through Aug. 5, with risks of severe thunderstorms, strong winds, and localized heavy downpours.

Conditions may improve around Aug. 6 as a Pacific high pressure system strengthens.