Yilan announces school, work closures for heavy rain

Taipei, Oct. 20 (CNA) Schools and offices in Yilan County will be closed on Tuesday due to forecasted heavy rain, the county government announced Monday.

According to the latest forecast from the Central Weather Administration (CWA), rainfall between 8 p.m. Monday and 8 p.m. Tuesday is expected to reach 200-400 millimeters in low-lying areas of Yilan County and 300-490 mm in mountainous areas.

Meanwhile, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said in a Facebook post that all but four schools in the city's mountainous areas will operate as usual on Tuesday, citing CWA forecasts of 150-250 mm of rain in low-lying areas and 250-450 mm in the mountains.

As of 8:30 p.m. Monday, the CWA's Anpu weather station in Taipei's Beitou District had recorded 412 mm of rainfall -- the highest nationwide. The 10 stations reporting the most accumulated rainfall were located in Taipei and New Taipei.

The CWA last updated its extreme rainfall advisory at 5:15 p.m., warning that Keelung's north coast, Taipei, New Taipei, and Yilan County are likely to see extremely heavy or torrential rain.

Heavy to extremely heavy rain is also likely in Taoyuan and Hsinchu counties, while heavy rain could occur in Miaoli, Nantou, and Hualien counties, it said. The advisories will remain in effect through Tuesday night.

Ongoing heavy rain has been caused by the interaction between seasonal northeasterly winds and the periphery of Tropical Storm Fengshen, which is expected to continue through Tuesday, the CWA said.

However, the rain is also unlikely to stop immediately afterward as the northeasterly winds persist.

Under the Operation Regulations on the Suspension of Offices and Classes Because of Natural Disasters, work and classes can be suspended only if the storm radius of a tropical storm or typhoon is expected to pass within four hours, with average winds reaching Beaufort scale 7 or gusts reaching scale 10.

Suspension is also permitted if 24-hour rainfall is forecast to reach 200 mm in mountainous areas and 350 mm in low-lying areas -- with 350 mm applying to Tainan, Pingtung County, Hualien County, and Yilan County -- and when disasters have recently occurred or are likely.

However, the final decision rests with the local government.