TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Chiayi County authorities suspended work and classes Monday (July 28) as a powerful low-pressure system unleashed torrential rains across the region. Taiwan's weather agency, the Central Weather Administration (CWA, 氣象署), reported that Tropical Storm CO-MAY had pushed a massive low-pressure area into the East China Sea, triggering relentless downpours since dawn. Several townships recorded more than 300 millimeters (11.8 inches) of rainfall within just seven hours.
The weather agency warned that the low-pressure system and southwest winds would continue delivering showers and thunderstorms across central and southern Taiwan. Officials cautioned residents about potentially severe weather conditions, including heavy rainfall, dangerous lightning strikes, and powerful wind gusts. Mountain regions in northern Taiwan and Taitung County face brief but intense showers with high probabilities of heavy precipitation, while Yilan and Hualien counties expect mostly cloudy skies punctuated by isolated afternoon thunderstorms.
Rainfall measurements at 6:50 a.m. revealed the storm's devastating impact across multiple townships. Taibao City (太保市) recorded 310.5 millimeters (12.2 inches) of precipitation, while Lioujiao Township (六腳鄉) reached 300 millimeters (11.8 inches). Chiayi County officials issued a level-one flood alert for seven affected areas: Taibao City, Puzi City (朴子市), Dalin Township (大林鎮), Minxiong Township (民雄鄉), Xingang Township (新港鄉), Lioujiao Township, and Dongshi Township (東石鄉).
Transportation authorities preemptively shuttered critical highway interchanges on Highway 82 and Chiayi Route 175 as floodwaters rose across the county. County Magistrate Weng Chang-liang (翁章梁) urged residents to exercise extreme caution, emphasizing the weather agency's thunderstorm warnings. The county leader highlighted particular dangers in mountainous regions, where the combination of saturated soil and continued rainfall could trigger landslides, rockfalls, mudslides, and rapidly surging mountain streams. ◼