Minor injuries reported as Typhoon Bavi takes toll on Taiwan

Taipei, July 11 (CNA) Typhoon Bavi had caused 36 injuries as of 8 a.m. Saturday, most of which involved cycling accidents or injuries sustained during disaster preparation work, authorities said.

The injuries ranged from falls, cuts, or the impact of being hit by falling objects, and were minor, the Central Emergency Operations Center (CEOC) said at a briefing Saturday morning, adding that no fatalities had been reported.

Of the injuries, Yunlin County in central Taiwan recorded eight, and Taichung recorded four, the center said, without saying where the other injuries occurred.

Meanwhile, as of 8 a.m., 14,210 residents had been evacuated across Taiwan, with Hualien County in eastern Taiwan recording the highest number at 5,167, followed by the central municipality of Taichung, where 2,060 people had been moved to safety.

The CEOC said Typhoon Bavi had begun affecting Taiwan after moving over land, and it warned that strong winds and heavy rain would continue to be felt around the island.

Large swells were forecast along the eastern and northern coasts, as well as around the outlying Matsu islands, and authorities urged the public to stay away from the shoreline.

The heaviest rainfall was expected across northern and northeastern Taiwan and in mountainous areas, with intense downpours posing risks of flash flooding and inundation.

Residents in northern and central Taiwan, offshore islands and exposed coastal areas were also advised to remain indoors because of strong winds.

The CEOC identified high-risk slope hazard areas in Keelung, New Taipei, Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Taichung, Nantou, Yunlin, Chiayi and Kaohsiung, as well as mountainous parts of Yilan and Hualien, where some communities could become isolated.

As of 6:30 a.m., authorities had issued yellow alerts for 184 potential debris flow sites in Yilan, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Miaoli counties, with the largest concentrations in Yilan and Hsinchu. Four yellow alerts for potential large-scale landslides were also in effect, including three in Hsinchu County and one in Miaoli County.

After being briefed on the situation, Interior Minister Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) urged continued vigilance against landslides, falling rocks, debris flows and flash floods in mountain areas, as well as flooding in low-lying areas.

Liu also said that rough seas around Taiwan had prompted the Coast Guard Administration to step up patrols and enforce restrictions in coastal warning zones.

Meanwhile, around 27,000 households remained without electricity, with repair work continuing, she said.

Liu added that authorities were closely monitoring landslide-dammed lakes on the Matai'an and Wanli rivers in Hualien County, strengthening emergency response measures and tracking the number of residents who may need to be evacuated in light of the potential overflow of the Wanli River barrier lake.