Typhoon Fungwong

Update: 9/21

   Typhoon Fungwong changed its way to the north along the east coast. The most impact area will be the east coast and the northern area. 

Rumor: A 4.8 earthquake happened at 5:14 am near Hualien country has triggered Fungwong to change its direction. Anyway, the smart choice is to avoid the mountain areas or stay away from the water. 

Typhoon Fungwong expects to make its landfall at 8 am on 9/21. It already effects in the central and south of Taiwan. Local governments from Taoyuan to the south, Hualien and Taitung have announced public offices and schools are closed tomorrow.  

If you have any question about Taiwan High Speed Railway schedule for 9/21, please dial: 4066-3000 (landline) or 02-4066-3000 (mobile)

THSR: Before 14:00. Southbound and Northbound will be scheduled on every 00, 20, 40. After 1400 all schedules will be on its normal schedule. Info from THSR website http://www.thsrc.com.tw/tw/News/Detail/8cec8b00-ce43-44a7-b59a-99ee8c82c505/1

info source: http://www.cwb.gov.tw/V7/prevent/warning/B20.htm?

Be careful of its Preticipation  

Update: Suhua Highway Condition!

Update on 12/28

***Suhua Highway will be opened for cars which weight is under 3.5 tons at 1 pm of Dec 28 to Jan 2 for the new year. It will be closed after Jan 3 till lunar new year. 
*** Wulin Farm is limited to 5000 visitors per day. Visitors who are planing to stay overnight at campsites or hotels need to grant permits from the hotels or the campsites. The overnight visitors are limited to 1800 people per day.
Individual visitors for one day visit are required to take public transportation. The number is 3200 people per day. Visitors can take Kuokuang Bus at Taipei station and Ilan station, Capital Bus at Taipei City Hall Station, and Fengyuan Bus at Lishan Station.  

Update on 12/24
***Suhua Highway is set to open on Dec 31 for the 4 day new year holiday with one lane traffic control .  Although it will be opened, the land and ground are  still saturated with water from the recent intermittent rains and occasionally with falling rocks. Your safety is your responsibility for driving on this highway. 
*** There were landslides or massive falling rocks on Highway 8 close Toroko National Park on 12/24 afternoon. There was no news posted in Taiwan newspapers or TV news. A photo which was posted on FB friend's page and the author didn't authorize me to share it here is scary. As the note in the Toroko National Park website states: Travelers should check the road condition before they travel to the national park because the constant rains cause the landslides and falling rocks.    
*** Snow chain is required when drives to Mt. Hohuan due to the icy road condition. 

     Recent rain (33 days rain) has caused massive landslides on Suhua Highway which is from Suao to Hualien in Taiwan. It is closed for repairing. It is expected to reopen on Jan 13 2013. If you plan to drive or ride through this section, you probably have to change your plan. 

Photo was taken from one of my FB friend'd page.
https://www.facebook.com/et112606

What Is Going On With The Weather Pattern In The Pacific?

This photo was posted by the director of Weather Forecast Center of TCWB. It is not a good sign to see this pattern near by Taiwan. I just hope it will bypass Taiwan. 

Picture Source: 鄭明典's FB Page on Aug 19
https://www.facebook.com/mdc.cwb?v=wall

     Typhoon Tembin Prediction by TCWB: 

TCWB doesn't issue any warning on Typhoon Tembin 
yet. It is under observation by TCWB.  

Typhoon Tembin is now Category 4. Picture Source: 陳旭昇's FB Page on Aug 20. https://www.facebook.com/StevenChen66

Picture Source: 鄭明典's FB Page on Aug 20.

Update: 

Another typhoon Bolaven is formed. It is busy in the sky's of the Pacific Ocean. 

Highway Condition Update After Typhoon Soala

Highway 9 : Suhua Highway from Suao to Hualien is closed and would be expected to open on Aug 10. 

Photo Source : on 蘇花公路即時路況 Facebook page.
Photographer:傅立祥 Upload by Dona
This photo was taken on the Guanyin Section of the
Highway 9.

How do Taiwanese cope with this flooding situation?

     People have posted a lot of flood pictures or messages all around Taiwan on their Facebook pages. Facebook now becomes a great information source for  updating the weather and flood conditions. 

     Below pictures are quoated from different Facebook pages.  

Picture Source from FB: Ohma Ma
How would you like your graduation ceremony like this?

Picture Original Source from FB: 月沉創意無限
https://www.facebook.com/webreakup
Top Left : American Submarine  Top Right : French submarine
Mid Left : Russian Submarine    Mid Left : British Submarine
Bottom: Taiwan

Picture Source from FB:Tony Liu
One of the Taipei city bus lines. 

Picture Source from FB: Xbox Life

Picture Source from FB:侯娃娃

Picture Source from FB: Angela Ai-Chi Sun 

Picture Source from FB:  紀大偉
The National Chengchi University campus in Taipei 

Picture Source: Liberty News
Place: Taoyuan International Airport

Picture Source from FB:  馬社長

Picture Source from FB:卜曉楓
This picture has been shared almost
26,000 times on her Facebook page
after posted during the storm in the
New Taipei city.

Below two pictures at the Liberty Square in Taipei (CKS Memorial Hall) are the most beautiful and peaceful scenery due to the severe rain storm. 

Picture Source from FB:黃凱群

Picture Source from FB:黃凱群

     
I appreciate people who share their flood photos on their Facebook pages and hope people are safe in Taiwan. If you are in Taiwan or have to travel around the island, please be cautious about the weather situation. 

  
對我引用各位的相片, 如有不妥,請告知, 也謝謝願意把你珍貴的相片分享給大家.

Severe Weather Alert!!!

     If you plan to travel to Taiwan during, please check out this message for American Institute of Taiwan.

From: AIT, American Citizen Services <amcit-ait-t@state.gov>

Date: Mon, Jun 11, 2012 at 8:36 PM

Subject: Extremely Heavy Rain Advisory

To: "AIT, American Citizen Services" <amcit-ait-t@state.gov>

The Taiwan Central Weather Bureau has issued an island-wide “Extremely Heavy Rain Advisory” with the central and southern regions of the island expected to be hardest hit. Heavy rains are expected to continue across Taiwan into the weekend. The Taipei City Government has announced closing of roads and businesses effective immediately. The strong possibility of flash flooding and landslides exist, especially in the mountainous central areas of the island. All American citizens in Taiwan are strongly advised to avoid unnecessary travel and to monitor local media outlets for the latest news and instructions.

U.S. citizens traveling abroad should regularly monitor the U.S. Department of State's, Bureau of Consular Affairs’ website www.travel.state.gov, where the current Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Country Specific Information can be found.  AIT also encourages U.S. citizens to review to "A Safe Trip Abroad," found at http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/safety/safety_1747.html, which includes valuable security information for those both living and traveling abroad.  In addition to information on the Internet, travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. and Canada, or outside the U.S. and Canada on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.

AIT encourages all U.S. citizens living or traveling in Taiwan, to register through the State Department’s travel registration website, https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui/  Registration is a voluntary way of telling us that you are in Taiwan so that  in the event of an emergency, we can reach you.  This could include a family emergency in which relatives in the United States request that AIT contact you.

The Consular Section of AIT’s Taipei and Kaohsiung Offices can be reached during regular business hours (M-F, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) by telephone at (02) 2162-2000 and (07) 238-7744; by fax at (02) 2162-2239 and (07) 238-5237; and by e-mail at amcit-ait-t@state.gov.  After hours, in case of emergency, a duty officer can be reached by calling the AIT switchboard at (02) 2162-2000.  The AIT Taipei office is located at No.7, Lane 134, Sec. 3, XinYi Rd., Da-an District, Taipei City 10659.  The address for AIT Kaohsiung is: 5th Floor, No.2, ChungCheng 3rd Rd., Xin-Xing District, Kaohsiung City 80052.

     You also can check out from this link to see more information or flood situation in Taiwan.  

http://michaelturton.blogspot.com/2012/06/rain-rain-go-away.html

Helping hermit crabs finds new homes in Taiwan

This is an interesting article which encourage travelers

not to buy or pick any sea shells up on the beaches in

Taiwan. It also ask people who have sea shells at

home to send their sea shells back to the recycle

center in Kenting for giving hermit crabs new homes.

So far the center has found hermit crabs has replaced

26 of human being trash as their home like plastic to

the recycled sea shells.

捕捉記憶中的大自然聲音-- Capturing the natural songs by Morris Ng, Taiwan