Continuous Rain Causes Rockfalls and Traffic Hazards
Three days of continuous rain has resulted in rockfalls, road-blockages, and a spate of traffic accidents in Taiwan, Wednesday, November 23.
On Provincial Highway 9(the Su-hua Highway), a 55 year-old woman was seriously injured in a traffic accident at around 10:00am. The woman was riding as a passenger on a scooter when it collided with a semi-trailer at the 116km mark.
A series of rockfalls saw the road temporary blocked in several locations, as road crews rushed to clear debris.
The most serious rockfall occurred at around 11:00am at the 113km mark when rocks hit an SUV, injuring a 68 year-old woman sitting in the front passenger seat. The woman was conscious when rushed to hospital suffering chest pain.
Meanwhile, also around 11:00am, a rockfall blocked the Central Cross-Island Highway (Highway 8), at the 123km mark, near the Jinma Tunnel. The Highway Administration said that due to a large number of rockfalls, and difficult conditions, including poor visibility, the highway won’t be reopened until tomorrow morning.
In Taichung, a city councilor said that the recently opened Fengyuan Station is an embarrassment to engineers. The comments were made after the roof of the station leaked in the first rainy weather since the station was opened last month. Critics pointed out that the rain, while consistent, was not heavy rain.
The Central Weather Bureau reported that many weather stations had recorded over 200mm cumulative rainfall in the northern half of the island over a 24 hour period, while some recorded over 300mm.
The wet weather is expected to continue tomorrow.
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