Chiayi:The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (FANCA) has announced the closure of the Alishan Forest Recreation Area and most of the Alishan Forest Railway starting Friday. This decision comes in anticipation of Typhoon Champi, which is expected to bring heavy rain and strong winds to Taiwan through Saturday.

According to Focus Taiwan, the Chiayi Branch of FANCA stated in a press release that the closure of the recreation area is a precautionary measure due to its location in a remote mountain forest, where roads could be affected by rockfalls. The closure will commence at 8 a.m. on Friday.

The Mianyue Line trail, a hiking route along a decommissioned railway track, along with the Alishan Taiwan Pleione Nature Reserve and other trails under the branch's jurisdiction, will also be closed. The reopening of these trails will be announced on the Taiwan Forest Recreation website, contingent upon the typhoon's impact.

Additionally, FANCA's Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office has stated that the railway's main line between Chiayi County and Alishan will be suspended on both Friday and Saturday. While two of the railway's three branch lines, the Zhaoping Line and the Sacred Tree (Shenmu) Line, will be suspended on Friday, the Zhushan Line, which provides access for sunrise viewing, will remain operational early Friday morning. The reopening of the railway routes will also depend on the severity of the typhoon.

Passengers who have purchased tickets in advance can obtain refunds at any station along the forest railway or at ibon kiosks located in 7-Eleven convenience stores throughout Taiwan, as per the office’s announcement.