The latest Pacific tropical cyclone, Tropical Storm Meranti, has pouredtorrential rain over southern Taiwan as it plows towards southeastern China.As of early Thursday morning, EDT, rainfall of 10 to 20 inches had alreadyinundated southeastern Taiwan with Taitung having accumulated at least 12.5inches.
News reports on Thursday indicated that five villages were evacuated inreaction to the excessive rainfall and runoff.
Image Credit: Navy Research Lab MontereyTaiwan braced for further excessive rainfall and high winds into Friday.
Meanwhile, Mercanti was centered about 230 miles southwest of Taipei, Taiwan.
Having highest sustained winds of 50 mph, Mercanti was churning northward atabout 10 mph.
Mercanti was on target for a landfall upon southeast China in Fujian by earlyFriday morning, EDT.
Impact in the area of landfall will be that of heavy rain, potentiallytriggering floods and damaging winds.
Moreover, heavy rain linked to Meranti could spark flooding in Korea Fridayinto Saturday.
