June 26, 2026
Torrential rains from a passing tropical storm shut down a swathe of southern and parts of northern Taiwan on Friday, leaving more than 5 million people off work or school, while neighbouring Japan issued flooding and landslide warnings.
Typhoon Mekkhala, now a tropical storm and nearing southern Japan's Ryukyu Islands, did not make direct landfall in Taiwan, but its outer bands have brought heavy rain to parts of the island, especially in Kaohsiung, Tainan and Pingtung in the south.
The governments of all three Taiwanese regions, where more than 5 million people live, ordered offices and schools closed on Friday. Severe flooding in Tainan shut down a section of the main north-south railway line.
The northern Taiwanese city of Hsinchu, home to the world's largest contract chipmaker, TSMC 2330.TW, said that from noon (0400 GMT), it would also close offices and schools. TSMC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
