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Taiwan braces for heavy rain, strong wind as Nepartak moves closer

Taiwan News
Date 2016-07-07
By: Chen Wei-ting, Wang Shu-fen and Lilian Wu, Central News Agency

Taipei, July 7 (CNA) The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) issued a torrential rain

(Image courtesy of CWB website cwb.gov.tw)

(Image courtesy of CWB website cwb.gov.tw)

warning Thursday as Typhoon Nepartak moved closer to Taiwan.
The CWB said that as of 8 a.m., the first typhoon of the year had moved to 410 kilometers southeast of Hualien in eastern Taiwan, moving at a speed of 22-16 kph in a west-northwesterly direction.

With a radius of 200 km, the storm was carrying maximum sustained winds of 198 kph, with gusts of up to 245 kph, it said.     [FULL  STORY]

21 injured by explosion on train in Taipei

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/07/07
By: Chu Tse-wei, Liu Chien-pang and Kuo Chung-han

Taipei, July 7 (CNA) At least 21 people were injured when a section of commuter

Photo courtesy of Taiwan Railways Administration

Photo courtesy of Taiwan Railways Administration

train moving nearby Songshan Railway Station exploded and burst into flames on Thursday night.

Witnesses on the scene reported hearing a loud explosion before flames engulfed the sixth coach on the train, which traveled from Hsinchu to Keelung.

Taipei’s Fire Department received the message around 10 p.m. and sent more than 10 ambulances and 10 fire engines to the scene. The fire had been extinguished.

It’s not clear what caused the blast and fire.     [FULL  STORY]

Flights suspended ahead of Nepartak

DAY OFF:Except for Matsu and Kinmen, classes and work have been canceled across the nation, with the typhoon forecast to make landfall at 6am or 7am

Taipei Times
Date: Jul 08, 2016
By Shelley Shan / Staff reporter

Nearly a quarter of the international flights at the Taiwan Taoyuan International p01-160708-33333Airport were either canceled or postponed yesterday due to the imminent arrival of Typhoon Nepartak.

As of 8:30pm yesterday, the center of Nepartak was 180km southeast of Taitung. It was moving northwest toward Taitung at 14kph, according to the Central Weather Bureau.

The bureau forecast that the typhoon would make landfall at Taitung between 6am and 7am today, adding that the storm’s center is to enter the Taiwan Strait at 5pm today.     [FULL  STORY]

Brace for heavy Nepartak rain: CWB

The China Post
Date: July 8, 2016
By: Stephanie Chao

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Torrential and heavy rain warnings were issued islandwide by the

'At Café 6' Military vehicles are seen parked in Chiayi in this photo provided by the Armed Forces on Thursday, in preparation for the impact of Typhoon Neparkat. (CNA)

Military vehicles are seen parked in Chiayi in this photo provided by the Armed Forces on Thursday, in preparation for the impact of Typhoon Neparkat. (CNA)

Central Weather Bureau (CWB) Thursday, urging residents to brace for heavy rainfall as Super Typhoon Nepartak was to make landfall Friday.

Local governments islandwide have suspended classes and work Friday, while outlying Lienchiang County and Kinmen County will continue business as usual before noon, according to the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration of the Executive Yuan.

As of 5 p.m., Super Typhoon Nepartak was centered 220 kilometers east-southeast of Taitung, moving at 17-14 kph in a west-northwesterly direction, according to the CWB. With a radius of 200 km, the storm was carrying maximum sustained winds of 198 kph, with gusts of up to 245 kph, it said.     [FULL  STORY]

Taoyuan airport will be flood-proof: MOTC

The China Post
Date: July 7, 2016
By: CNA

TAIPEI, Taiwan — The transportation minister said he is fully confident Taiwan Taoyuan International

Heavy machinery is employed to conduct flood prevention work at the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Wednesday, July 6, as Typhoon Nepartak nears. The airport was left severely flooded last month in a downpour. (CNA)

Heavy machinery is employed to conduct flood prevention work at the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Wednesday, July 6, as Typhoon Nepartak nears. The airport was left severely flooded last month in a downpour. (CNA)

Airport will be flood-proof if an approaching typhoon batters the country with strong winds and torrential rain in the next few days.

In response to reporters’ questions about whether the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport could withstand a direct hit by Typhoon Nepartak, Ho Chen Tan (賀陳旦) said three prevention measures will be taken to protect Taiwan’s main gateway from flooding.

The measures include removing all possible blockages in the airport’s main water channel, building concrete barriers against floods at parking lots, and installing anti-flood gates, Ho Chen said.

The minister stressed that he is confident the airport will be safe from flooding. He revealed he had made an inspection visit to the airport the previous day to see if his instructions had been followed.

The Taoyuan airport sustained serious flooding twice last month, which sparked public outcry over poor construction and management of the country’s main air hub.     [FULL  STORY]

KMT policy chief could face questions about missile

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-07-06
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Prosecutors were likely to summon Kuomintang policy chief Alex Tsai for 6767614questioning as a witness in connection with last week’s missile misfiring, reports said Wednesday.

The prominent ex-lawmaker was one of the first to make the incident public online, leading to allegations that he had been guilty or at least involved in leaking confidential military information.

Last Friday, a junior officer fired off a supersonic Hsiung Feng III missile by accident during a drill on a corvette in Kaohsiung, hitting a fishing trawler and killing its captain.

Premier Lin Chuan and the military expressed anger about the early leaks about the incident, saying the reports endangered national security. As a result, the military filed a suit, asking the Kaohsiung District Prosecutors Office to investigate the leaks for violation of confidential military secret laws.     [FULL  STORY]

Hualien, Taitung to decide Thursday morning on typhoon closures

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/07/06
By: S.C. Chang

Taipei, July 6 (CNA) Schools and offices in most administrative areas of Taiwan will maintain normal

Taitung County (CNA file photo)

Taitung County (CNA file photo)

hours Thursday, with Hualien and Taitung scheduled to decide by 10 a.m. whether to close down for a half day due to an approaching typhoon.

Local leaders on Lanyu (Orchid Island) and Lyudao (Green Island) off Taitung were authorized to decide for themselves whether to close schools and offices Thursday, county officials said Wednesday.

In all other counties and cities, schools and offices will open as usual Thursday.

Super Typhoon Nepartak is forecast to make landfall on Taiwan late Thursday and batter the island through Friday.      [SOURCE]

Nepartak land, sea alerts issued

PROJECTED PATH:The first typhoon of the year is forecast to make landfall between Hualien and Taitung, before crossing central Taiwan and leaving via the Taiwan Strait

Taipei Times
Date: Jul 07, 2016
By: Shelley Shan / Staff reporter

The Central Weather Bureau yesterday issued sea and land alerts for Typhoon Nepartak, adding that the storm is likely to make landfall on the east coast and severely affect the nation’s weather today and tomorrow.

By 8:30pm yesterday, the eye of the typhoon was 700km southeast of Hualien. The typhoon was moving northwest at 20kph, with the radius of the storm expanding to 200km. The maximum wind speed near the typhoon’s eye was 209kph.

The sea alert, which was issued at 2:30pm, applies to vessels operating near Orchid Island (蘭嶼, also known as Lanyu), Green Island (綠島), the northeast and southeast coasts of Taiwan proper, as well as the Bashi Channel.

Based on the bureau’s projected path, the typhoon is forecast to make landfall between Hualien and Taitung. It would then move across central Taiwan and the west coast before leaving via the Taiwan Strait.     [FULL  STORY]

Gov’t braces for Typhoon Nepartak

The China Post
Date: July 7, 2016
By: Christine Chou

TAIPEI, Taiwan — The military mobilized thousands of troops and Premier Lin Chuan (林全) was

A giant floating sculpture of a Red-faced Muscovy Duck is seen as it was being deflated at the county's Carp Lake on Wednesday, July 6. The sculpture was deflated as part of storm preparation measures for Typhoon Nepartak. (CNA/Yuan-Ming Chiao, The China Post)

A giant floating sculpture of a Red-faced Muscovy Duck is seen as it was being deflated at the county’s Carp Lake on Wednesday, July 6. The sculpture was deflated as part of storm preparation measures for Typhoon Nepartak. (CNA/Yuan-Ming Chiao, The China Post)

briefed by emergency response officials Wednesday, as preparations for the approaching Super Typhoon Nepartak ramped into high gear.

The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) issued sea and land warnings for Super Typhoon Nepartak on Wednesday, respectively, at 2:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

The bureau issued a warning to residents of Hualien and Taitung, including the outlying Orchid Island, to remain on the alert and to brace for strong winds and torrential rain by the fast-growing typhoon.

The region’s first named storm of the year is expected to be most strongly felt on Thursday and Friday.

The premier, before being briefed by Central Emergency Response Center officials at the Executive Yuan, urged central and local government agencies to jointly prepare for potential flooding and natural disasters.     [FULL  STORY]

Land warning issued for Super Typhoon Nepartak

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/07/06
By: Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, July 6 (CNA) The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) issued a land warning for Super Typhoon

From the Central Weather Bureau website

From the Central Weather Bureau website

Nepartak late Wednesday evening.

People in the Hualien and Taitung areas, including the outlying Orchid Island, were warned to stay alert and to take precautions against strong wind and torrential rain.

As of 8:30 p.m., Nepartak was centered 700 kilometers southeast of eastern Taiwan’s Hualien, moving at a speed of 28-20 kph in a west-northwesterly direction, according to the CWB.

With a radius of 200 km, the storm was carrying maximum sustained winds of 209 kph, with gusts of up to 263 kph, bureau data shows.

Nepartak is expected to make landfall in Taiwan late Thursday, and its effects are expected to be most strongly felt on Thursday and Friday, the bureau said.     [FULL  STORY]