TAIPEI: As Taiwan heals from the trauma of Typhoon Morakot, catastrophe that set off yesterday's sweeping political changes, all eyes turn again to the west Pacific, where a new typhoon has developed, the Central Weather bureau (CWB) said yesterday.

This new, deep low pressure system is headed for Hainan Island. Meteorologists predicted the typhoon would be within 200 km of Hainan Island by 4 am today. Still, the typhoon will bring torrential rain to mountainous areas of the northern and northeastern Taiwan during the next few days, the CWB said.

Central and southern Taiwan, which were ripped by Morakot, can expect afternoon showers.

The typhoon is located some 700 kilometers west southwest of Ouluanpi, Taiwan's southernmost tip.

Temperatures in the northern, eastern and northeastern areas of Taiwan are likely to be cooler, while in the central and southern regions they will remain as high as 33 to 34 degrees Celsius, according to the bureau.

The typhoon, the 13th this year, has been named Mujigae, which means "rainbow" in Korean.

The death toll from Typhoon Morakot that swept over Taiwan between August 7 and 9 now stands at over 600. Most of the victims came from aboriginal communities on the south of the island where rebuilding work is still in progress.

The heavy destruction caused by the storm, the lack of advance warning for heavy rainfall and ensuing landslides and what many called the government's lackluster response to the emergency sent the popularity of the Ma administration plunging to its lowest level since Ma took office.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 09/11/2009 page2)