Taipei: A tropical depression near Hainan was upgraded to a tropical storm at 8 a.m. Saturday, but no impact on Taiwan is expected, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA). As of 8 a.m., the center of Tropical Storm Narra was located 1,350 kilometers west of Cape Eluanbi, Taiwan's southernmost point, and was moving south-southeast at 6 kilometers per hour, according to CWA data.
According to Focus Taiwan, the CWA indicated that Narra is expected to slow down and linger in place for some time before moving northeast toward Guangdong Province. Despite its formation, the storm is not anticipated to have a direct impact on Taiwan. However, the CWA has urged the public to remain vigilant regarding Typhoon Saudel, located about 2,720 km east of Cape Eluanbi as of 8 a.m. and moving west-northwest at 17-25 kph.
Saudel is on a trajectory towards Okinawa and is expected to affect the islands by Tuesday or Wednesday, although its subsequent path remains uncertain. The CWA noted that a nearby Pacific high-pressure system is influencing Saudel's movement. If this high-pressure system strengthens, the typhoon could shift westward, potentially bringing impacts to Taiwan from its outer bands later in the week.
Meanwhile, Taiwan is currently experiencing the effects of a southwesterly wind system, with heavy rains reported in southern Taiwan, leading to flooding. Tainan City has seen continuous rain since Friday night, with some areas recording accumulated rainfall of more than 250 millimeters. In response, the Tainan City Disaster Response Center was activated at Level 2 on Saturday morning. According to the city government, the Nanhua Reservoir has reached capacity and is overflowing naturally.