CWA issues heavy rain advisories for southern Taiwan

Taipei, Sept. 1 (CNA) The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Tuesday issued heavy or extremely heavy rain advisories for seven cities and counties in southern Taiwan, warning that a low-pressure system could bring localized heavy rain and sudden downpours.

The CWA warned that Kaohsiung and Pingtung County could experience extremely heavy rain, while Tainan and Chiayi cities and Yunlin, Chiayi and Taitung counties could see heavy rain.

All seven areas were expected to see lightning and strong gusts, while low-lying areas were vulnerable to flooding and mountainous areas could face landslides, falling rocks and sudden river surges, the CWA said.

An extremely heavy rain warning indicates accumulated rainfall of more than 200mm in 24 hours or 100mm within three hours, while a heavy rain alert means accumulated rainfall of more than 80mm in 24 hours or 40mm in one hour, according to the CWA.

Meanwhile, independent meteorologist Wu Der-rong (吳德榮) said Taiwan was likely to experience unstable weather through Sept. 5 as strengthening southwesterly winds could trigger severe weather.

Wu said a tropical depression over the sea off Guangdong Province in China, designated TD20, has a chance of developing into a typhoon as it moves in an east-northeast direction and approaches waters north of Dongsha Island on Wednesday.

However, it is unlikely to directly affect Taiwan. Another tropical depression, TD27, south of the Ryukyu Islands in Japan, also has a chance of developing into a typhoon but poses no threat to Taiwan, Wu said.