Typhoon Malakas, which has already begun to affect Taiwan, was expected to dump further heavy rain on parts of the island today, local media reported.
The country’s Central Weather Bureau said that north and north-eastern Taiwan were expected to see strong wind and torrential rain later today.
As of this morning, the eye of the storm was located approximately 180 kilometres to the south-east of eastern Taiwan, moving in a northerly direction at a speed of 14 kilometres per hour, the bureau said.
It was moving more slowly than previously predicted, delaying its worst effects upon the country, the state-run Central News Agency said.
“The strength of Typhoon Malakas is not likely to change. Residents should stay alert to heavy rain during daytime Saturday,” bureau forecaster Chen Yi-liang said.
Local train services across parts of Taiwan remained suspended.
The typhoon was likely to move north along the eastern coast of Taiwan before turning north-east towards Japan.
Malakas was hitting Taiwan just two days after Super Typhoon Meranti caused destruction across large parts of the island.
One person was killed, dozens were injured and millions of others were left without power.
In China, Meranti left seven people dead and nine missing in the eastern Fujian province, officials said yesterday.
Before it weakened to a tropical storm on Friday, Meranti brought “extraordinary rainstorms” to Fujian and forced at least 331,000 people to relocate, the Xinhua state news agency said.
- dpa
