Heavy rain triggers 41 incidents across Taipei

Taipei, Sept. 4 (CNA) Persistent heavy rain triggered 41 incidents across Taipei on Friday, mostly flooding and fallen trees, as authorities stepped up disaster response measures across the Greater Taipei area.

The incidents reported as of 11:30 a.m. also included landslides and damage to buildings and other facilities, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said before attending a city council session.

Chiang said authorities were responding to incidents as they were reported and closely monitoring the situation.

In Shilin District, part of a hillside near Ziqiang Bridge collapsed amid the heavy rain, covering an area about 2 meters long and 3 meters wide with soil. No injuries were reported, according to the city government.

Taipei's emergency management authorities said they were closely monitoring rainfall, river levels and landslide-prone slopes across the city, while urging people to avoid mountainous areas and waterways

The city government also warned that the Keelung River near Bailing Bridge was expected to rise above 1.8 meters and urged vehicle owners parked outside the river embankment to monitor conditions and prepare to move their vehicles.

Heavy rain also caused flooding in neighboring Keelung, where several areas, including parts of the Dawulun Industrial Park, were inundated, with water reaching knee depth in some locations.

The Central Weather Administration (CWA) issued extremely heavy rain advisories for parts of northern Taipei, Keelung and the northern coast of New Taipei, while heavy rain advisories were in effect for other parts of northern Taiwan.

Independent weather expert Wu Der-rong (吳德榮) said northern and eastern Taiwan would continue to see intermittent rain through Sunday, with thunderstorms possible in the afternoon.