Due to strong southwesterly winds and a low-pressure area, southern Taiwan has experienced continuous rainfall. As of 5 p.m. Sunday (August 23), a total of 271 flooding incidents had been reported across Taiwan. Kaohsiung City, Tainan City, and Pingtung County have announced the suspension of work and classes on Monday (24th).
According to data from Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau, from midnight to 7:10 p.m. on Sunday, the maximum accumulated rainfall in Kaohsiung City, Tainan City, and Pingtung County reached 449mm, 316.5mm, and 341mm respectively.
On Sunday, the Weather Bureau also issued a heavy rain advisory, warning that from Sunday evening to Monday, Kaohsiung City may experience localized extremely heavy rain or torrential rain, Pingtung County may see localized heavy or extremely heavy rain, and areas including Lanyu, Chiayi County, and Tainan City are expected to see localized heavy rain or torrential rain, with rainfall expected to continue until Tuesday (25th). Starting Thursday (27th), due to the path of Typhoon "Saudel," rainfall in northern regions may also increase.
Rainfall has caused flooding incidents, according to statistics from Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs: 154 cases occurred in Kaohsiung City, 77 in Tainan City, and 40 in Pingtung County.
In a press release Sunday, the Ministry of Economic Affairs reported that to guard against the threats of continuous heavy rain, the emergency response team would be upgraded from Level 2 to Level 1 at 6 p.m. that evening. As the focus of rainfall is expected to move eastward, the Water Resources Agency’s Eastern Region Branch has also been instructed to strengthen inspections for driftwood or other debris blocking bridges, including in areas such as the Mataian Creek and Wanli Creek.