Typhoon Usagi yesterday had weakened into a tropical storm, but a land warning issued by the Central Weather Administration (CWA) was still in effect in four areas in southern Taiwan.
As of 5pm yesterday, Tropical Storm Usagi was over waters 120km south-southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), the southernmost tip of Taiwan proper, and was moving north at 9kph, CWA data showed.
The storm was expected to veer northeast later yesterday.
Photo courtesy of the Central Weather Administration
It had maximum sustained winds of 101kph, with gusts of up to 126kph, the data showed.
The CWA urged residents of Kaohsiung, Pingtung County, Taitung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春) to remain alert to the storm, even if its intensity was forecast to continue weakening.
Ships operating south of the Taiwan Strait, off Taiwan’s southeastern coast, in the Bashi Channel and near the Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙島) southwest of Taiwan should also proceed with caution, it said.
Photo: EPA-EFE
The storm’s wind radius might sweep across southern Taiwan or drift away today, and the storm itself might dissipate into a tropical depression the same day, CWA forecaster Wu Wan-hua (伍婉華) said.
The storm was expected to pass southwest of Taiwan early this morning then shift northeast, or, under another scenario, turn southwest, Wu said.
Despite weakening, Usagi would still bring significant rainfall upon reaching land, with regions south of Hualien County and Kaohsiung expected to receive the heaviest precipitation, mainly yesterday afternoon to early this morning, Wu said.
Extremely heavy rain might fall in mountainous areas of Taitung County, the Hengchun Peninsula and Pingtung County, while regional showers can be expected in Hualien County, low-lying areas in Pingtung County, and on Green and Orchid (Lanyu, 蘭嶼) islands, she said.
Warnings for the storm might be lifted today if it continues to weaken, Wu said, but added that she did not rule out the possibility the storm could hover above Taiwan as a tropical system without dissipating tomorrow.
Also yesterday, Man-yi, formerly a tropical storm, developed into a typhoon at 2am, the CWA said.
The weather agency forecast that Man-yi would pass over southern Luzon Island in the Philippines before heading toward China’s Hainan Island, meaning it should not have much of an impact on Taiwan if its present course holds.
The Philippines yesterday was cleaning up after Usagi — the archipelago nation’s fifth storm in three weeks — while rescue workers were helping people stranded on rooftops in northern Luzon, where herds of livestock were devastated.
The streak of bad weather was forecast to continue in the central Philippines, with Man-yi expected to reach coastal waters by tomorrow.
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