Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration (CWA) activated a heavy rainfall advisory at 11 a.m. Thursday, as Typhoon Mekkhala and strengthening southwesterly winds brought intense downpours across the island. 

The agency said rainfall over the next 24 hours could reach 200 to 340 millimeters in the mountainous areas of Kaohsiung and Pingtung, with totals in some lowland areas of Pingtung projected to reach up to 800 millimeters over the next three days. Other regions, including New Taipei, Changhua, Nantou, Yunlin, Chiayi, and Tainan, may see 150 to 250 millimeters.

In Taipei, heavy rain prompted the city’s Central Emergency Operation Center (CEOC) to raise its alert level to the second tier shortly after 11 a.m. following an earlier upgrade. Authorities urged residents in Neihu District to install barriers and sandbags and move to higher floors as water levels at the Jinrui Flood Management Park reached critical levels. 

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) convened a response meeting, while city agencies deployed personnel to monitor conditions and respond to incidents. 

Taipei City Councilor Chen You-cheng (陳宥丞) said on Facebook that flooding in parts of Neihu had reached knee height, adding that mobile pumps were being deployed and drainage systems cleared to mitigate the impact.