Taipei: Several airlines and Taiwan's Maritime and Port Bureau announced widespread service changes on Thursday as Typhoon Dolphin nears the country, with authorities urging travelers to monitor updates and avoid nonessential trips to outlying islands. Starlux Airlines stated that its Friday flights between Taichung International Airport and Japan's Shimojishima Airport in Okinawa Prefecture have been cancelled.
According to Focus Taiwan, Starlux has also tentatively cancelled its Saturday flights between Taichung and Okinawa's Naha Airport. However, not all flights between Taiwan and Okinawa have been cancelled, as Starlux's Saturday flight from Taoyuan International Airport to Naha is delayed until 2:40 p.m., with the returning flight delayed until 6:30 p.m. An extra service flight from Taoyuan to Naha is scheduled for 5:40 p.m. on Saturday, with its return at 9:30 p.m.
Taiwan's EVA Air announced the cancellation of all Friday flights between Taoyuan and Naha, later extending this to all flights on the route for Saturday. On the maritime front, Taiwan's Maritime and Port Bureau reported suspensions of several ferry services on the Keelung-Matsu route and the Houbihu-Orchid Island route on Thursday, in anticipation of Typhoon Dolphin's effects.
For Friday, selected services on the Fugang-Green Island route and services between Taiwan's offshore Matsu Islands and China's Fujian province will also be suspended. The bureau advised travelers to utilize available ferry services early to return to Taiwan and postpone trips to outlying islands to avoid being stranded by further suspensions.
According to Taiwan's Central Weather Administration (CWA), Typhoon Dolphin was positioned about 1,120 kilometers east of Taipei as of 2 p.m. Thursday, with a storm radius of approximately 300 kilometers. The typhoon is moving westward at 17 kilometers per hour, with maximum sustained winds of 144 kph. It is expected to pass north of Taiwan between Saturday and Sunday before heading into China's Zhejiang province.
The CWA indicated that a sea warning could be issued by Friday afternoon, and a land warning might be imposed on the offshore Matsu Islands on Saturday. As Taiwan celebrates Fathers' Day on Aug. 8, heavy or extremely heavy rain is anticipated in locations north of central Taiwan.
CWA forecaster Chang Cheng-chuan noted that as the storm moves away from Taiwan between Monday and Thursday, the nation will experience southwesterly winds, leading to less rain. Only the western half of the island is likely to see localized rain on Monday, while central and southern parts could experience localized rain or thunderstorms from next Tuesday to Thursday. Other areas might see afternoon thunderstorms during those days.