Sea warning issued for Typhoon Ragasa as it intensifies

Taipei, Sept. 21 (CNA) The Central Weather Administration (CWA) issued a sea warning for Typhoon Ragasa with effect from 8:30 a.m. Sunday, predicting that the storm will continue to intensify and prompt a land warning as soon as Sunday evening.

The sea warning covers seas southeast of Taiwan, including the outlying Orchid and Green islands, as well as the Bashi Channel to the south of Taiwan.

The typhoon will bring sporadic rain to Keelung City, northeastern Taiwan and Hualien County starting from Sunday afternoon, CWA Senior Specialist Wu Wan-hua (伍婉華) said at a press briefing.

Afternoon thundershowers are also forecast for central and southern Taiwan, with localized heavy rain in mountainous regions and areas south of Chiayi County, Wu said.

Meanwhile, temperatures of 36 degrees Celsius or higher are expected in areas north of Taichung, she said.

The typhoon's impact on Taiwan will be most felt on Monday and Tuesday, with torrential rains falling in eastern Taiwan and mountainous regions in Kaohsiung and Pingtung County, Wu said.

There will also be heavy rains on Taiwan's north coast, in Pingtung County and mountainous areas, while sporadic showers are forecast in northern and central Taiwan, Wu said.

As Typhoon Ragasa moves away from the country on Wednesday, heavy rain will linger in Hualien and Taitung counties, she added.

Wu cautioned that, on Sunday and Monday, sustained winds blowing at over 76 kilometers per hour and gusts of over 104 kph are expected in Pingtung, Orchid Island and Green Island, while waves on the eastern coast and northwestern coast may reach 5-6 meters high.

As of 8 a.m. Sunday, Typhoon Ragasa was located 770 km east-southeast of Eluanbi, Taiwan's southernmost tip.

It is moving west-northwest at a speed of 14 kph, packing maximum sustained winds of up to 173 kph, with gusts reaching 209 kph, according to the CWA.