Taiwan's Severe Weather: Impact of Heavy Rains
In southern Taiwan, at least four people have died due to the effects of unusually heavy and prolonged rainfall, with more than 5,900 residents evacuated from affected areas to safety.
This is reported by Reuters.
The Central Weather Bureau of Taiwan stated that over the last week, some mountainous regions in the south received more than 2.6 meters of rain, while the annual average rainfall is around 2.1 meters.
The significant amount of water has caused numerous floods and large-scale landslides, damaging infrastructure and roads.
According to local authorities, three individuals are currently missing, and nearly 80 have sustained injuries.
On Monday, Taiwan's Prime Minister, Cho Chung-tai, visited the affected areas and noted that Taiwan rarely experiences such intense and continuous rainfall, which has persisted for nearly a month following Typhoon 'Danas', which struck the southwestern coast of the island in early July.
The head of government also mentioned that over 2,000 people, mainly from mountain villages, are still unable to return home and must remain in temporary shelters while rescuers work to restore roads cut off by landslides and floods to facilitate the delivery of food and medical supplies to the affected areas.
According to meteorologists' forecasts, rainfall is expected to decrease this week, but a high risk of landslides and floods remains, prompting local residents to exercise caution and prioritize their safety.
Typhoon 'Danas' hit southern Taiwan in July with record winds, marking a rare natural disaster impacting the densely populated western coast of the island. The strong winds toppled over 3,000 power poles, causing the most significant damage to the island's power grid in decades.