The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said it might issue a land warning for Typhoon Hinnamnor today and the issuance of a sea warning is highly probable as the storm is expected to draw near Taiwan.
The typhoon, which was 480km east of Hualien County as of 2pm yesterday, was moving south-southwest at 8kph with winds of up to 234kph, the bureau’s Web site showed.
Category 9 and 10 winds were reported on Taiwan proper’s east and northeast coasts, and on the coasts of northern Tainan, as well as in Penghu County, Lienchiang County and Pingtung County’s Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼) and Green Island (綠島), bureau forecaster Huang En-hong (黃恩鴻) told the Central News Agency.
Predictions on the path of the storm have begun to converge, with most experts saying that Hinnamnor would turn north 300km to 400km off Hualien, he said.
Hinnamnor has gathered strength after absorbing a smaller tropical depression, which is likely to increase its radius from 220km to 300km, with maximum eye wall winds of up to 208kph today, he said.
The issuance of a land warning cannot be “completely ruled out” because the storm might leave its predicted course and move west instead, most severely affecting New Taipei City’s Jinguashi (金瓜石) area, he said.
Photo: CNA
The typhoon is expected to cause heavy rain in northern and northeastern Taiwan until Sunday, with localized torrential rains possibly occurring in the mountains and along the northern coast near Keelung, he said.
Showers, including afternoon thundershowers, would likely occur throughout the country today and tomorrow, he said.
As Hinnamnor is expected to move away from Taiwan proper on Sunday, showers would likely continue in the northern, central and southern regions, while other places might see sunny conditions, he said.
However, afternoon thundershowers could still occur in the mountains on Sunday, he said.
Separately, the Central Election Commission said political candidates for the November elections might register until Saturday — a day after the original deadline — should local governments suspend registration services due to weather conditions.
If weather-related disruptions occur, the affected candidates can register on the first day of the resumption of service in accordance with election laws, it said.
Local task forces were established throughout the country to bolster storm safety at election commission offices to protect election workers, candidates and their staffers, it said.
The Examination Yuan said exams for prospective civil servants would be held on the weekend as scheduled.
People seeking government jobs in foreign affairs, international economics and trade, civil aviation, and indigenous affairs attending tomorrow’s tests should stay vigilant about personal safety and check weather updates regularly, it said.
The exams for foreign affairs, international economics and trade, and civil aviation would be held in Taipei, while indigenous affairs tests would also be held in Nantou, Pingtung, Hualien and Taitung counties, it said.
The written portion of the exams would take place tomorrow and on Sunday, to be followed by in-person interviews and English-language proficiency assessments on Monday, it said.
These tests are the primary method for the government to select people to work in diplomacy, international exchanges and civil aviation, it said.
The selection of civil servants to work in fields related to indigenous affairs are part of the government’s drive to boost employment rates for indigenous people, it said.
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