By KHT Staff. Images via KH City Govt.
KAOHSIUNG — Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) defended the city’s late Thursday night decision to suspend work and classes on Friday, saying earlier weather data had not met the official threshold before the risk of extremely heavy rain increased later in the evening.
Chen said Central Weather Administration (中央氣象署) data available at about 8:30 p.m. Thursday did not meet the standard for suspending work and classes. He said updated information at about 11:30 p.m., combined with expert assessment, showed a higher risk of short-period extreme rainfall.
Chen said the city made the decision based on public safety and apologized for any inconvenience caused by the late announcement.
The closure affected final exams at schools across the city. The Education Bureau said exams would be postponed to next Monday or completed by next Tuesday, with schools posting details on their websites.
Chen said accumulated rainfall in parts of Kaohsiung was unusually high. Hourly rainfall in Cishan (旗山), Meinong (美濃), and Neimen (內門) exceeded 100 millimeters, while Dashu (大樹) recorded more than 600 mm of accumulated rain, he said.
He said Dashu’s rainfall was close to one-quarter of Kaohsiung’s average annual rainfall of about 2,500 mm.
The city also evacuated 695 residents as landslide and debris-flow risks rose in mountain areas. The Agriculture and Rural Development and Soil and Water Conservation Agency issued 49 red and yellow debris-flow warnings for Cishan, Meinong, and Liugui, along with two yellow warnings for large-scale landslides.
Chen said residents in shelters should not return home before warnings are lifted. If warnings are lifted late at night, district offices should keep evacuees in shelters until daylight and safety checks are completed, he said.
