TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Nantou County township of Xinyi was the first to announce the cancellation of work and classes for a fourth consecutive day Saturday (July 27) due to Typhoon Gaemi.
In Kaohsiung City, 10 districts followed suit. The Directorate-General of Personnel Administration (DGPA) named them as: Meinon, Qishan, Maolin, Taoyuan, Liugui Namaxia, Jiaxian, Tianliao, Shanlin, and Neimen. The government department publishes updates on its website in English and Mandarin.
The storm moved across north Taiwan early Thursday (July 25) morning, but heavy torrential rain continued lashing several regions, including the mountainous center as well as southern parts of the country.
The decision to keep schools and offices in Xinyi Township closed Saturday was based on the fact that several roads linking the area to the outside were still impassable Friday (July 26), the Liberty Times reported. Landslides and falling rocks threatened the safety of travelers, so the county decided on a fourth day of cancellations.
As Typhoon Gaemi approached Taiwan from the east on Wednesday (July 24), all cities and counties but Kinmen canceled work and classes, with the outlying island county joining in on Thursday.
On Friday, the three southern areas of Kaohsiung City, Tainan City, and Pingtung County closed down for a third consecutive day, as did several townships and villages in mostly mountainous regions.
