TAIPEI: Storms dumped more than two metres of rain in parts of Taiwan over the past week, killing four people and triggering floods and landslides in central and southern areas, authorities said Monday.
Torrential rain has lashed swathes of the island since July 28, forcing several thousand people to seek shelter, damaging roads, and shuttering offices.
Maolin, a mountainous district in southern Taiwan, recorded 2.8 metres of rain since July 28, Central Weather Administration forecaster Li Ming-siang told AFP.
That’s more than Taiwan’s annual rainfall of 2.1 metres last year, according to the agency’s data.
The unusually heavy downpours were caused by a low-pressure system and strong southwesterly winds, Li said.
“The southwesterly winds have brought heavy moisture from the South China Sea to Taiwan,“ Li explained.
He noted that such winds are typically associated with typhoons or seasonal rain in May and June.
This time, Typhoon Co-May pushed the winds further north as it swept past eastern Taiwan, contributing to the extreme rainfall.
The average rainfall across the island last month was the highest for July since 1939, the CWA reported.
The torrential rain follows Typhoon Danas, which hit Taiwan in early July, killing two and injuring hundreds.
Premier Cho Jung-tai described the situation as unprecedented, stating, “From Typhoon Danas up to now, we’ve faced nearly a month of continuous and heavy rainfall.”
Disaster officials confirmed four deaths, three missing persons, and 77 injuries, with nearly 6,000 displaced.
Scientists warn that human-driven climate change is intensifying weather patterns, increasing the likelihood of destructive floods.
The state weather forecaster expects the rain to ease in the coming days. – AFP
