Taipei: Flood waters caused by heavy rain have disrupted railway services in western Taiwan, with only single-track operations available between Miaoli and Zhunan Saturday morning, according to Taiwan Railway Corp. Traffic services in Taichung International Airport were also affected by thunderstorms Saturday morning, the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) said.
According to Focus Taiwan, Taiwan Railway reported that flood waters submerged tracks in Miaoli and Zhunan in northern Taiwan, resulting in some trains being turned back. Additionally, flooding has caused falling stones at the entry of a tunnel on the eastern side of the track between Zhunan and Miaoli. An emergency task force has been set up by the operator to address the problem.
Traffic services between Dashan and Houlong were suspended at one point due to flooding. However, operations on the western side of the track returned to normal around 7:10 a.m. as flood waters receded. Despite this, traffic on the eastern side of the track between the two stations remains affected, with the pace slowed.
Train service between Hengshan and Jiuzantou on the Neiwan line in Hsinchu was also suspended because the track was submerged by flood waters, Taiwan Railway said.
Meanwhile, the CAA reported that thunderstorms have caused the suspension of ground operations at Taichung Airport since 8:16 a.m. Saturday, warning that the landing and takeoff of some flights could be delayed. The CAA urged the public to check the airport's website and the bulletin and broadcasts inside for updated information.
In Hsinchu city, flood waters affected two homes and submerged an underpass, causing trees to fall, with rainfall reaching 50.5 millimeters per hour. The city government received several reports about damage caused by floodwaters on Saturday morning. Miaoli also reported flooding around the Tongxiao power plant, leading to the closure of several roads and an underpass, forcing the public to change routes.