TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – A tropical depression east of the Philippines is likely to turn into Tropical Storm Fengshen, bringing rain to north and east Taiwan at the end of the weekend, reports said Thursday.

If the depression intensifies into a storm, it could interact with northeast monsoon systems to hit windward parts of Taiwan with three days of heavy rainfall beginning Saturday, the Liberty Times reported. The depression is likely to move westward in the direction of the Bashi Channel separating Taiwan from the Philippines before heading to China’s Hainan.

Rainfall is likely to increase from Saturday. Mountainous parts of Taipei, coastal areas in Keelung, the east coast counties, and the Hengchun Peninsula in Pingtung may experience short but intensive periods of rain Saturday.

The strength of the storm depends on its route, with passage over the Philippines’ island of Luzon likely to make it weaker than if it passed over the Bashi Channel, according to forecasters.

Hualien’s Guangfu Township, hit by a deadly barrier lake overflow during Typhoon Ragasa last month, is already preparing for the next storm, per CNA. 

The authorities are drawing up evacuation plans based on the amount of rainfall and conditions at the Mataian barrier lake. Volunteers, who descended on the town in their thousands during past weekends to help with the cleanup, will be barred from entering Guangfu beginning Saturday.