Kaohsiung: Torrential rain continued to batter southern Taiwan on Sunday, causing widespread flooding in Kaohsiung, disrupting light rail services, triggering landslides, and prompting authorities to raise emergency response levels.
According to Focus Taiwan, the Water Resources Agency (WRA) reported 199 flooding incidents by 9 a.m.-130 in Kaohsiung, 52 in Tainan, and 17 in Pingtung County. In Kaohsiung, floodwaters submerged riverside walkways around the Heart of Love River park in Sanmin District, while several districts including Gushan, Nanzih, Zuoying, and Renwu reported flooding and traffic restrictions.
Kaohsiung, Tainan, and Pingtung suspended work and classes on Sunday as heavy rain inundated roads across the region. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) attributed the torrential rain in southern Taiwan to a broad low-pressure system and strong southwesterly winds, issuing extremely heavy rain warnings for Kaohsiung and northern Pingtung on Sunday.
The persistent rain led the Kaohsiung City government to upgrade its flood emergency operations center to Level 1 activation at 1 p.m. as rainfall continued. Mayor Chen Chi-mai stated that 24-hour rainfall exceeded 300 millimeters in several districts, putting significant pressure on the city's drainage system.
Transportation services were significantly disrupted. A Kaohsiung Light Rail train was struck by a fallen tree between the C23 and C24 stations at around 10 a.m., but services resumed after the tree was removed and safety checks were completed. Police also responded to two landslides involving fallen trees and earth in Renwu District that blocked roads.
In another incident, three people escaped safely after their vehicle became stranded in deep floodwaters in Niaosong District. Police and firefighters assisted them to safety. The Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office announced that it would suspend all services along its entire line on Monday as the area could be hit with more torrential rain.