Kaohsiung announces emergency suspension of work and classes at midnight due to heavy rain

Kaohsiung city authorities made an emergency announcement just after midnight, suspending all work and classes due to torrential rainfall. Mayor Chen Chi-mai explained the decision was based on two critical factors: a revised forecast from the Central Weather Administration issued late Tuesday night and the fact that accumulated rainfall in several flat areas had already reached 200 millimeters.

"Based on the risk of disaster and prioritizing citizen safety, we made the decision to suspend work and classes at midnight," Chen stated during a morning press conference. He apologized for any inconvenience caused by the late announcement, emphasizing that the primary concern was public safety.

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Based on the risk of disaster and prioritizing citizen safety, we made the decision to suspend work and classes at midnight.

The mayor elaborated that the heavy downpour, while not caused by a direct typhoon hit, significantly increased the risk of localized flooding. He noted that areas like Cishan, Meinong, Dashu, and Neimen experienced hourly rainfall exceeding 100 millimeters, with Dashu district recording over 600 millimeters in less than a day – a substantial portion of Kaohsiung's annual average rainfall of approximately 2,500 millimeters.

Chen highlighted that the decision was informed by the latest scientific evidence and expert opinions. Relevant units are continuing to monitor the situation, conduct environmental clean-up, and implement disease prevention measures to ensure public health and safety. He also clarified that most of the accumulated water has receded, distinguishing between minor water accumulation and more severe flooding.

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Kaohsiung region is affected by heavy rain, with significant accumulated rainfall. Some areas like Cishan, Meinong, Dashu, and Neimen have hourly rainfall exceeding 100 millimeters, and Dashu district has accumulated rainfall exceeding 600 millimeters.