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Updated Saturday, October 6, 2007 0:00 am TWN, The China Post news staff

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Public offices in north, east to close today

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- All public offices and schools in northern and eastern Taiwan except Hsinchu City will be closed today as the severe Typhoon Krosa is expected to bring heavy rains and strong winds to the regions.

Travelers and patients were advised to check with transport companies and hospitals for any changes in working schedules.

Both Taipei City and Taipei County announced the closure of public offices.

Other areas with the same decision in northern Taiwan included Keelung City, Taoyuan County, and Hsinchu County.

In the eastern part of the island, offices in Yilan, Hualien and Taitung County will also be closed.

Miaoli County was the one local-level government with the same decision in central Taiwan as most areas in the central and southern parts of the island will be shielded by the north-south Central Mountain Range from the typhoon, which poses greater threats to eastern and northern Taiwan.

Despite the closure of the public offices, the public servants at all local governments will stay alert for contingency measures to deal with possible attacks from the latest typhoon of the year.

Taipei City officials started permitting parking on both red and yellow lines on the streets at 9 p.m. so that drivers may move their vehicles from areas prone to flooding.

All airlines have canceled their domestic flights between Taiwan and the two frontline islands of Kinmen and Matsu for one day.

The airlines also canceled most flights between major cities on the island.

Transportation and communications officials said all travelers should contact transport firms for the latest service schedule.

Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp. will continue normal operations of its bullet trains, although the firm said it will accept cancellation and give refunds within 15 days for tickets unused during the period between the issuing and lifting of the land warning for the typhoon by the Central Weather Bureau.

Most large public hospitals in Taipei will remain open, although certain departments will be closed.

Many public events were canceled and rescheduled.

For example, the English-language proficiency tests scheduled for today and tomorrow were postponed by one week to next weekend.

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