Rail, air services in western Taiwan disrupted by heavy rain

Taipei, April 4 (CNA) Flood waters caused by heavy rain have disrupted railway services in western Taiwan, with only single-track operations available between Miaoli and Zhunan Saturday morning, according to Taiwan Railway Corp.

Traffic services in Taichung International Airport were also affected by thunderstorms Saturday morning, the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) said.

Taiwan Railway said flood waters submerged tracks in Miaoli and Zhunan in northern Taiwan, causing some trains to be turned back.

It added that flooding has also caused falling stones at the entry of a tunnel on the eastern side of the track between Zhunan and Miaoli, and the operator has set up an emergency task force to deal with the problem.

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According to Taiwan Railway, traffic services between Dashan and Houlong were suspended at one point, also due to flooding, but operations on the western side of the track have returned to normal at around 7:10 a.m. as flood waters receded.

However, traffic on the eastern side of the track between the two stations remained affected, with the pace slowed.

In addition, train service between Hengshan and Jiuzantou on the Neiwan line in Hsinchu was suspended, also because the track was submerged by flood waters, Taiwan Railway said.

Meanwhile, the CAA said thunderstorms have caused the suspension of ground operations at Taichung Airport since 8:16 a.m. Saturday, warning that the landing and takeoff of some flights could be delayed.

The CAA urged the public to check the airport's website and the bulletin and broadcasts inside for updated information.

In addition, flood waters also affected two homes in Hsinchu city and submerged an underpass, causing trees to fall, with rainfall hitting 50.5 millimeters per hour. The city government received several reports about damage caused by floodwaters on Saturday morning.

Miaoli also reported flooding around the Tongxiao power plant, with several roads and an underpass closed due to the flooding. Members of the public were forced to change routes.