Taiwan News Quick Take

Typhoon Champi could continue to strengthen and approach waters off eastern Taiwan by Thursday, with some forecast models suggesting it could move west and cross the nation, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. As of 2pm yesterday, Champi was 2,980km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, and moving west at 22kph. It had maximum sustained winds of 162kph and a storm radius of 180km, CWA data showed. CWA forecaster Chang Cheng-chuan (張承傳) said Champi could intensify as it moves west before turning west-northwest toward Taiwan. The storm is expected to reach waters off eastern Taiwan on Thursday, after which it might turn north, he said. Other forecasts suggest that if a Pacific high-pressure system remains strong, Champi could take a more westward track and possibly cross Taiwan, he said.

Photo courtesy of the Central Weather Administration

PUBLIC HEALTH

Vaccination rates soar

More than 3 million flu vaccines and almost 1 million COVID-19 vaccines have been administered under a publicly funded program launched two weeks ago, significantly from a year earlier, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. From Oct. 1 to Friday, 3,151,137 people in the 11 groups eligible for the first phase of the publicly funded program received flu vaccines, while 988,347 received COVID-19 vaccines, it said. The figures were 15.8 percent and 39.7 percent higher than same period last year, CDC data showed. The second phase begins on Nov. 2 and covers people aged 50 to 64 without high-risk chronic illnesses.

Coast Guard

Turtle touching probed

Two foreign visitors are being investigated for allegedly touching a green sea turtle on Siaoliouciou (小琉球) off Pingtung County, a violation of the Wildlife Conservation Act (野生動物保育法), the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said yesterday. The CGA’s Southern Branch said it received a report on Thursday that two people had touched a protected sea turtle at Vase Rock Beach. Coast guard officers located the suspects and detained them for questioning, the branch said. Coast guard officers returned the suspects, both US citizens, by patrol boat to Taiwan proper for investigation, it said. Green sea turtles are protected wildlife under the act, the branch said. Anyone who disturbs, abuses, hunts, or kills protected wildlife faces up to one year in prison or a fine of up to NT$300,000. If the act results in the animal’s death, the penalty increases to up to two years in prison or a fine of up to NT$500,000.

PUBLIC TRANSIT

Railway urges decorum

Taiwan Railway Corp (TRC) urged passengers to observe proper train etiquette, after a foreign passenger was asked to stop putting their legs up against a train wall earlier on Friday. A conductor noticed the behavior while checking tickets after the Train No. 406 left Hualien Station, the TRC said. It also responded to a claim by a Facebook group for rail enthusiasts that another foreign passenger on the same train had inflated a bed in the middle of the aisle. TRC said a conductor went to inspect the car after staff at Fenglin Station relayed reports of the behavior from passengers on the train, adding that the conductor found nothing amiss on arriving at the car. Passengers who do not correct their behavior after being confronted by TRC staff face penalties under the Railway Act (鐵路法), such as being denied further travel or being arrested by the Railway Police Bureau.