TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Taipei City Government will announce at 10 p.m. on Friday (Sept. 1) whether work and school will be closed on Saturday (Sept.6), as Typhoon Haikui is steadily approaching Taiwan.
The Central Weather Bureau forecasted the typhoon is likely to impact northern Taiwan the most for the next few days, with sea warnings to be issued this afternoon and land warnings by this evening or early next day.
Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an led a typhoon preparedness meeting early Friday and confirmed that the typhoon is expected to make landfall in northeastern Taiwan, urging the public to stay away from mountainous areas due to heavy rains.
Lee Shu-Chuan, deputy mayor of Taipei, has instructed the Department of Personnel to contact the Taipei-New Taipei-Keelung-Taoyuan coalition about potential work and school closures for Saturday in light of the fact that residents are still expected to work during the weekend.
Meteorology experts tracking Typhoon Haikui's route have also recommended raising the threat level to the highest category, as the typhoon could take a southward path and directly hit northern Taiwan.
If such predictions hold, Haikui could become the first typhoon to make a direct landfall in Taiwan in the past four years.
