Taiwan Railway's Pingxi Line closed due to heavy rain

Taipei, Oct. 20 (CNA) Train service on the Pingxi Line in New Taipei was suspended Monday due to heavy rain in the mountains, Taiwan Railway Corp. Ltd. announced.

The provisional measure was adopted for safety reasons, the state-run railway operator said on its official website, adding that bus services have been arranged as an alternative.

The company noted that the resumption time will be reviewed based on weather conditions and announced in due course. It advised passengers to check the latest travel information before their departure.

Earlier Monday, the Central Weather Administration issued torrential or extremely heavy rain advisories for Taipei and New Taipei, and extremely heavy rain or heavy rain advisories for Taoyuan, Keelung North Coast, and Yilan County.

The weather agency advised people in those areas be aware of short periods of intense rainfall and strong wind gusts. Low-lying areas should take precautions against flooding, while mountainous regions must be on high alert for landslides, falling rocks, mudflows, and rapidly rising stream levels, it said.