EDITORIAL
Taiwan News
Date: 2016-09-29
By: Taiwan News, Staff Writer

September has been a rough month for Taiwan. While the typhoon season is nearing its end, at least three of them still hit the island, Meranti, Malakas and Megi.

Each time a typhoon approaches, there is speculation as to which regions are going to be hit hardest. While the Central Weather Bureau is usually relatively accurate when it comes to the general route of the eye of the storm, the calculation of which areas will face the strongest winds and the heaviest rain has turned out to be a key problem.

If the winds and rain are strong enough, the local government can decree that schools and offices can remain closed, allowing students, teachers and other workers to stay safely at home instead of having to brave the elements.

Since weather forecasting is not a precise science, and since local political officials are in charge of deciding when the schools and offices are closed, those decisions have often proved wrong and elicited protests.     [FULL  STORY]