Air and sea traffic between Taiwan proper and outlying islands was disrupted yesterday as Typhoon Mawar edged toward the country, with 10 ferry routes suspended and 22 domestic flights canceled, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said.
Thirty-five ferry journeys were suspended yesterday morning, including the service between Keelung and Lienchiang County (Matsu), and Fuao Harbor (福澳港) in the county’s Nangan Township (南竿) and Langqi in China’s Fujian Province.
Ferries from Chiayi County’s Budai Township (布袋) to Penghu County’s Magong (馬公), from Tainan’s Jiangjun District (將軍) to Penghu’s Dongji Island (東吉嶼), and from Taitung County’s Fugang Harbor (富岡漁港) to Green Island (綠島) and Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼) were also canceled, the ministry said.
Photo: Chiang Ying-ying, AP
As of 10am yesterday, 22 domestic flights linking Taitung with Orchid and Green islands had been canceled, but international flights were not affected, the Civil Aeronautics Administration said.
As a result of the disruptions, 330 travelers were stranded on Green Island and 478 on Orchid Island, the transportation ministry said.
The Central Emergency Operation Center (CEOC) is warning people in Yilan and Hualien counties, and New Taipei City to brace for downpours and strong winds as Mawar nears.
People in mountainous areas in Taoyuan and Hsinchu County should also prepare for heavy rain, which is expected to continue through today, it said.
Hsiao Huan-chang (蕭煥章), deputy head of the CEOC and deputy director-general of the National Fire Agency, said the center was issuing warnings for landslides and falling rocks that could affect sections of highways, including Provincial Highway No. 7 from Taoyuan’s Dasi District (大溪) to Yilan, a section connecting Taichung’s Heping District (和平) with Yilan and a section linking New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽) with Taoyuan’s Fusing District (復興).
The typhoon was yesterday about 440km east of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, and moving north-northeast at 14kph. It had maximum sustained winds of 119kph, with gusts up to 155kph, the Central Weather Bureau said.
Mawar is forecast to continue moving north-northeast over the next 24 hours, the bureau said, adding that it expects to lift a sea warning at about 5:30pm.
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