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Malakas disrupts flight plans for 12,800 in Taoyuan

The China Post
Date: September 18, 2016
By: CNA

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Typhoon Malakas has forced 68 flights to be canceled or delayed at Taiwan Taoyuan

Driftwood is piled on a riverbed in the mountainous area of Eastern Taiwan in the wake of Typhoons Meranti and Malakas. A group that was allegedly trying to steal the driftwood has been arrested by the police. (CNA)

Driftwood is piled on a riverbed in the mountainous area of Eastern Taiwan in the wake of Typhoons Meranti and Malakas. A group that was allegedly trying to steal the driftwood has been arrested by the police. (CNA)

International Airport, affecting around 12,800 passengers, the company that runs the airport said Saturday.

Taoyuan Airport Corp. said that as of 4 p.m., a total of 68 flights were disrupted, mostly China-registered air carriers, including 39 passenger flights that were canceled, 25 flights that were delayed and four cargo flights that were canceled.

The company said that based on the average of 570 flights that arrive at and depart from the airport on a daily basis, the affected flights accounted for 11.9 percent of the total.

Meanwhile, a total of 143 domestic flights were canceled while one flight was delayed as of 11 a.m. Saturday due to the effects of Typhoon Malakas, the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) said.

UNI Air announced Saturday that its round-trip service between Songshan to Kinmen B7-8801 will be canceled on Sunday.     [FULL  STORY]

Chiayi, Tamshui suffer under Typhoon Malakas

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-09-17
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – While Typhoon Malakas was making slow progress off Taiwan’s east coast

High tide in Tamshui.

High tide in Tamshui.

Saturday, Chiayi County in Southern Taiwan suffered some of the heaviest torrential rain.

Residents of Taipei, New Taipei, Keelung, Yilan and Hualien had the day off because forecasters had predicted most of the havoc caused by the storm would happen there, but Saturday morning the places with the highest rainfall were mostly situated in Chiayi County, according to Central Weather Bureau data.

The town of Zhuqi recorded 208 millimeters of rain over 12 hours leading up to around Saturday noon, the data showed. Fenqihu in the same area posted 207 mm and Alishan Elementary School near the Alishan park 200 mm. Both locations are popular destinations which, if no typhoon had appeared, would have been crowded with tourists during the four-day Mid-Autumn Festival holiday.

Landslides led to the authorities closing down the popular Alishan railway line, which connects the park with Chiayi City.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan evacuates over 2,600 people ahead of Typhoon Malakas

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/09/17
By: Christie Chen, Wang Yang-yu and Chen Wei-ting

Taipei, Sept. 17 (CNA) Over 2,600 residents in four counties and cities in Taiwan were evacuated to

A soldier assists residents in Yilan County in evacuating to safety. Photo courtesy of the military.

A soldier assists residents in Yilan County in evacuating to safety. Photo courtesy of the military.

safety on Saturday, while some railway lines and flights have suspended service in anticipation of the threat from Typhoon Malakas.

As of 8 a.m. Saturday, 2,658 people from New Taipei City, Taoyuan City, Yilan County and Hualien County have been evacuated to safety as a precautionary measure, according to the Central Emergency Operation Center.

Meanwhile, Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) said it has suspended all services on its Pingxi Line and Shen’ao Line Saturday, as well as services on its North Link Line and Yilan Line around the northeastern part of Taiwan until 6 p.m. that day.

After 6 p.m., North Link Line and Yilan Line, which serve stations from Badu in Keelung to Hualien, will gradually resume normal operations depending on the rain and wind condition, TRA said.     [FULL  STORY]

Malakas to affect north, northeast later Saturday

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/09/17

Taipei, Sept. 17 (CNA) The Central Weather Bureau issued new land and sea warnings for Typhoon

Coast of Hualien, eastern Taiwan, on Friday, CNA file photo

Coast of Hualien, eastern Taiwan, on Friday, CNA file photo

Malakas early Saturday, saying the effect of the storm will be most acutely felt from late morning until this evening.

Northern and northeastern Taiwan and are expected to see strong winds and torrential rain later in the day, the weather bureau said, despite the fact that there were few signs of a storm in the Taipei region overnight and early Saturday.

As of 5:00 a.m., the center of Malakas was located some 200 kilometers to the southeast of Yilan, moving in a northerly direction at a speed of 18 kilometers per hour, slowing to 14 kph, the bureau said.

It had moved at a slower pace than previously predicted, delaying the time when its worst effects are felt.

Malakas is not expected to make landfall in Taiwan but will instead turn northeast after its peripery sweeps past the northern part of the island.      [FULL  STORY]

Taitung gov’t blamed for Hong Yeh landslide

The China Post
Date: September 17, 2016
By: The China Post news staff

TAIPEI, Taiwan — A lawmaker Friday blamed the Taitung government’s

Hong Yeh village in the mountains of Taitung is buried in rocks and mud on Friday, Sept. 16 in the wake of Typhoon Meranti that triggered a massive landslide there. No one was injured as its residents had been evacuated before the typhoon came. (CNA)

Hong Yeh village in the mountains of Taitung is buried in rocks and mud on Friday, Sept. 16 in the wake of Typhoon Meranti that triggered a massive landslide there. No one was injured as its residents had been evacuated before the typhoon came. (CNA)

“overdevelopment” for a Typhoon Meranti-triggered landslide that buried much of a village famous for its role in the development of baseball in Taiwan.

Hong Yeh village in the mountains of the eastern county — whose elementary school baseball team made history in 1968 by beating its mighty Japanese competitor 7-0 — saw 30 to 40 of its houses completely or half buried in mud and rocks when heavy rains triggered a massive landslide early Thursday morning.

No one was injured in the disaster as the village’s residents had been evacuated before Meranti’s arrival.    [FULL  STORY]

Taitung village half buried under typhoon rubble

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-09-16
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – More than 30 houses in the Taitung County village of Hongye 6773570were buried under rubble Friday after the passage of Typhoon Meranti.

Most residents had been evacuated from the mountainous area before the storm struck Wednesday, but returned home Saturday to find that landslides had buried about 30 to 40 houses in the village, which is famous for its contribution to Taiwan’s baseball history.

The typhoon brought heavy torrential rain and strong winds to most of southern Taiwan Wednesday and Thursday, inflicting severe damage on agriculture, infrastructure and buildings. While Friday started out sunny, land warnings were already in effect for Typhoon Malakas, which was also expected to pass close to Taitung County.     [FULL  STORY]

Lawyer decries ‘desinicization’ of his grandchildren

Taipei Times
Date: Sep 17, 2016
By: Alison Hsiao / Staff reporter

An 81-year-old lawyer who came to Taiwan with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)

Kao Ping-han holds an urn of ashes in Taipei on April 1. Kao helps veterans’ families send their loved ones’ ashes to China. Photo: CNA

Kao Ping-han holds an urn of ashes in Taipei on April 1. Kao helps veterans’ families send their loved ones’ ashes to China. Photo: CNA

when he was 13 said in an interview with China’s CCTV that he is full of “bitterness” that his four grandchildren are all “little Taiwan independence [supporters].”

Kao Ping-han (高秉涵), who was born in China’s Shandong Province in 1935, took his family to China in July to “find their roots,” and during the trip he was followed by a group of Chinese reporters.

Kao is famous in China after he received the “Moving China” award in 2012 for his efforts in helping more than 100 veterans’ families take their loved ones’ ashes to China after they passed away in the past 20 years.

In the interview, Kao said he had taken his grandchildren to China so that they could learn more about Chinese culture, and visit the Yellow River and famous mountains “that are in their textbooks.”

“I want them to look at them for real. They think that those belong to China and have nothing to do with Taiwan,” Kao said.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan braces for Typhoon Malakas

The China Post
Date: September 17, 2016
By: The China Post news staff

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Residents in Northern and Eastern Taiwan are being warned to

Soldiers stationed in Yilan preparing for the incoming Typhoon Malakas on Friday, Sept. 16. The military command center in Yilan on Friday completed preparations for upcoming severe weather, heavy rainfall and disaster relief efforts. (CNA)

Soldiers stationed in Yilan preparing for the incoming Typhoon Malakas on Friday, Sept. 16. The military command center in Yilan on Friday completed preparations for upcoming severe weather, heavy rainfall and disaster relief efforts. (CNA)

brace for the effects of Typhoon Malakas, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said Friday.

The moderate typhoon is expected to sweep past Taiwan without making landfall, with the storm’s outer rim brushing the eastern coastline early Saturday.

Areas projected to be impacted are: Yilan, Hualien, Taitung (including Orchid Island and Green Island), Taipei, New Taipei, Keelung, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli and Taichung.

The CWB has also forecast torrential rain for these areas, especially in mountainous regions of Taipei, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Taichung, Nantou, Yunlin and Chiayi.

The CWB warned that heavy rainfall over the past week may have left the aforementioned areas vulnerable to landslides.     [FULL  STORY]

Approaching typhoon triggers more school, office closings

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/09/16
By: Chen Wei-ting and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, Sept. 16 (CNA) The northern Taiwan cities of Taipei, New Taipei and Keelung 31267085and Hualien County in eastern Taiwan have announced that they will close schools and offices on Saturday in anticipation of rough weather from Typhoon Malakas.

The announcements came after Yilan County in northeastern Taiwan said earlier Friday that it would close schools and offices on Saturday to keep people indoors and safe from the storm.

As of 9:36 p.m., all other cities and counties in the country have declared that schools and offices will remain open Saturday, according to Directorate-General of Personnel Administration data.

The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said Typhoon Malakas will begin to affect Taiwan late Friday night, with the storm’s outer periphery expected to reach Hualien and Taitung counties in the early hours of Saturday.     [FULL  STORY]

2.5 mil. vehicles expected on freeways today

The China Post
Date: September 16, 2016
By: The China Post news staff

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Between 2.5 million and 2.8 million vehicles are expected to swarm the national

Citizens returning home wait for southbound buses at the Taipei Main Station on Thursday, Sept. 15. Kuo-Kuang Motor Transport (國光客運), estimated passenger traffic of 30,000 during peak hours, adding between 300 and 350 extra bus services yesterday to cope with demand. (CNA)

Citizens returning home wait for southbound buses at the Taipei Main Station on Thursday, Sept. 15. Kuo-Kuang Motor Transport (國光客運), estimated passenger traffic of 30,000 during peak hours, adding between 300 and 350 extra bus services yesterday to cope with demand. (CNA)

freeway system on Friday as the people of Taiwan take advantage of the four-day Mid-Autumn Festival to travel, the National Freeway Bureau predicted yesterday.

Heavy southbound traffic is expected between Hukou and Hsinchu on Highway No. 1; New Taipei City’s Tucheng and Hsinchu’s Guanxi on Freeway No. 3, and Nangang and Pinglin on Freeway No. 5. The freeway bureau has advised travelers to avoid these sections.

Only high-occupancy vehicles will be allowed between 7 a.m. and 12 a.m. today on the southbound route between Nangang and Pinglin on Freeway No. 5.

There will be other measures to ease traffic, such as opening up shoulder lanes.

Travelers are encouraged to use public transportation or to adjust their departure time to avoid congestion, the highway bureau suggested, adding that they may also use the bureau’s 1968 app or website to stay updated on the latest traffic conditions.     [FULL  STORY]