Heavy rain triggers flooding across southern, eastern Taiwan

Heavy rain brought by a low-pressure system and strong southwesterly winds triggered widespread flooding, landslides and road damage across central, southern and eastern Taiwan on Monday, disrupting rail travel, prompting mass evacuations and leaving one person missing, Report informs referring to Focus Taiwan.

Central and local authorities reported that more than 4,000 residents have been evacuated from high-risk mountain areas, primarily in Kaohsiung and Pingtung County.

Continuous rain also caused a side wall of the Great East Gate, a national historic site constructed in 1725, to collapse early Monday morning after rainwater seeped into its base.

The city government evacuated 567 residents as a precaution after 18 debris-flow-prone streams were placed under red alert and another 19 under yellow alert.

Of those evacuated, 517 stayed with relatives while 50 were housed by district offices.

Transportation services were heavily impacted.

Taiwan Railway Corp. announced that all express trains on the Eastern Line and South Link Line would remain suspended for the rest of Monday, while local trains would continue to run depending on rainfall conditions.