Schools, offices closed in Kinmen, parts of Taiwan due to Typhoon Podul

Taipei, Aug. 13 (CNA) Local governments have announced the closure of schools and offices in parts of Kaohsiung, Taitung County, Pingtung County and outlying Kinmen County on Thursday after Typhoon Podul left Taiwan Wednesday afternoon.

Kinmen County's schools and offices will be closed Thursday morning as the typhoon approaches the offshore islands.

Meanwhile, schools and offices will be closed in Meishan, Lafulan and Fusing Villages, Taoyuan District, Kaoshiung as well as Manzhou Township and Shihwun Village, Chunri Township, in Pingtung County.

In Taitung, Samuluh in Haiduan Township's Haiduan Village, as well as Wulu and Lidao Villages in the Township will close schools and offices on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the county's Hsin-Sheng, Tung Hai, Da Wang, Pei Nan, Feng-Tian and Chulu Junior High Schools, Gongguan, Guan-Shan and Tjuabal Vusam Experimental Elementary Schools, as well as Siwei Preschool will also be closed for the day.

As of Wednesday 9 p.m., the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said that Typhoon Podul's storm circle still poses a threat to regions south of Changhua Count, Kinmen and Penghu, with strong winds and heavy rains continuing south to Chiayi County and Penghu.

The typhoon is located around 100 kilometers west-southwest of Penghu County, moving west-northwest at 31 km per hour, according to CWA data.

It is packing maximum sustained winds of 144 kph and gusts of up to 180 kph, according to the CWA.