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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 CWB issues land warning for Hato
A handout satellite image from the Central Weather Bureau shows Tropical Storm Hato over the Pacific Ocean yesterday. Photo: EPA / Central Weather Bureau
/ Staff writer, with CNA
A land warning for Tropical Storm Hato, which the Central Weather Bureau （CWB） said poses a threat to Taitung and the Hengchun Peninsula （恆春半島）, was issued at 2:30pm yesterday.
As of 5:30pm, Hato, the 13th storm in this year’s Pacific typhoon season, was 110km east-southeast of Oluanpi （鵝鑾鼻） in Pingtung County.
The storm was moving west-northwest at 15kph to 19kph, packing sustained winds of 65kph, with gusts of up to 90kph, according to data on the bureau’s Web site.
The periphery of the storm was approaching the Bashi Channel yesterday and was expected to affect Taitung and the Hengchun Peninsula later in the day. Hato was expected to be 70km southwest of Oluanpi by 2pm today.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs activated its disaster prevention system after the land warning was issued to maintain a secure and stable supply of electricity and water during the storm.
An emergency disaster response panel was set up, the ministry said, and all relevant authorities were notified to closely monitor the storm’s progress.
Taiwan Power Co （Taipower, 台電） spokesman Lin Te-fu （林德福） said it was checking on the safety of all of its facilities. All private power plants have been reminded to secure their facilities.
The Water Resources Agency said it has deployed large water pumps in cities and counties nationwide to help them prepare for possible flooding.
It reminded people in low-level areas to be alert for government warnings of discharges of large volumes of water from upstream reservoirs during the storm period.
The Taitung County Government at 5pm designated mountainous, seaside and riverbank areas in the county as control zones that cannot be entered without permission, and said that violators would be fined.
More than 5,000 people visiting Green Island （綠島） and Orchid Island （Lanyu, 蘭嶼） were evacuated yesterday.
According to the Eastern Coastal Patrol Office’s Offshore Flotilla 13, the number of ferries serving the two islands was increased yesterday so that all the tourists on the islands could be moved to Taitung County for their safety.
Fourteen ferries carried 3,592 people from Green Island, while 12 others brought 1,519 from Orchid Island, the office said.
All travel to the two islands was suspended at 5pm yesterday and will not be allowed today.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
