Heavy rains from nearby typhoon pound Taiwan, 200 to be evacuated on east coast

Heavy rains from a passing typhoon caused localised flooding in Taipei and parts of southern Taiwan on Thursday, while more than 200 people on the east coast will be evacuated ahead of a possible breach of a barrier lake in the mountains.

Although Typhoon Mekkhala, which is heading towards Japan, will not make direct landfall in Taiwan, its outer bands are bringing torrential rain to parts of the island, especially in Kaohsiung and Pingtung in the south.

Pingtung's government ordered all offices and schools closed on Thursday afternoon, while neighbouring Kaohsiung did the same for two mountainous areas. In one area of the Neihu suburb of Taipei, flood waters nearly submerged cars.

While no casualties have been reported so far, in the eastern coastal county of Hualien the government is evacuating more than 200 people in two townships which are downstream from a rapidly filling barrier lake above it in the mountains.

Barrier lakes are formed when rocks, landslides or other natural blockages make a dam across a river, normally in a valley, blocking and holding back water, hindering or even stopping natural drainage.

Last year 19 people died in a different part of Hualien when another barrier lake breached its banks during Super Typhoon Ragasa, sending a wall of water and mud into people's home.

Rain is forecast to continue over Taiwan for at least the next week, though it will gradually ease.

Precipitation is not all bad news for Taiwan, which relies on the traditional summer and autumn typhoon season to fill up its reservoirs after what are typically dry winters.

Reuters

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