Taiwan Issues Extreme Rain Warnings for Southern Regions; 17 Areas on Alert

Taiwan is on alert as 17 cities and counties face heavy rain warnings, with the mountainous regions of Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung designated as "purple zones" indicating the threat of extremely heavy rainfall. The Central Weather Administration issued the severe weather alert early this morning, citing the influence of Tropical Depression TD24 and a low-pressure trough, further intensified by strong southwest winds. These conditions are expected to bring short-duration, intense downpours across the island. The "extremely heavy rain" warning, marked in purple, specifically targets the mountainous and plains areas of Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung. Other areas under a "heavy rain" advisory include the northern coastal and mountainous regions of New Taipei City, mountainous areas of Taoyuan and Hsinchu, plains of Taichung and Nantou, and the islands of Penghu and Green Island, as well as Taitung County's Orchid Island. A "rainstorm" warning, indicated by a red zone, has been issued for Hualien County, Taitung County, and the Hengchun Peninsula in Pingtung County. Residents in affected areas are strongly advised to exercise extreme caution due to the potential for torrential downpours and associated risks.