TAIPEI DAMAGE MOSTLY TREES AND SIGNS|台北風雨強勁 路樹倒滿地 招牌鐵皮飛

Typhoon Megi impacted Taipei with strong wind and heavy rain. Many roadside trees were blown down. Shop signs, corrugated iron roofs and walls, as well as other debris littered the roads. At least 12 people were injured in Taipei City, some bus routes as well as part of the MRT system were suspended. Last night at 10 pm it was announced that today would be another typhoon holiday, not just for Taipei, but for the whole country. As Typhoon Megi covered the whole of Taiwan, Taipei City was hit by winds gusting up to force 11. Roadside trees were uprooted. On Zhongshan North Road, Linsen South Road, Chengde Road and other large main roads, large older trees were blown down into traffic lanes to lie together with shop signs, corrugated iron sheets and other debris. Cars parked at the roadside were damaged. Police and fire personnel worked to cordon off traffic lanes before they could be cleared. Motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians could barely stand up in the wind. Once blown down it was hard to stand up again. One knelt in the doorway of the 101 building. Neihu Minghu Middle School's gate was blown down, umbrellas were useless and most people just gave up on them. The cars on the big wheel at the Taipei Children's Amusement Park danced around in the wind and the colored glass entrance was shattered and scattered across the ground. Staff went into action to secure what was left. In Shilin several scooters were blown into the middle on the road and in the Science Park, a security guard's booth was blown over. Due to strong wind, Taipei City Department of Rapid Transport suspended the Wenhu Line and other metro lines with elevated sections from 1 pm. Buses were also suspended. ==MR ONG bus driver== There were not even five passengers on each run. Sometimes none. The Department of Environmental Protection mobilised staff to start clearing drains, to try and avoid flooding. ==DOP personnel== Some are blocked with debris The bulk of the damage in Taipei City was fallen trees and signs. At least 12 people were injured and six of these were hurt by being blown down in the street. The Danshui River Keelung river and Jingmei Creel were all in full spate but in no danger of bursting their banks. Taipei City floodgates were closed at 9 pm last night and any cars parked inside the floodgates were towed away. There will be no rubbish collection today in Taipei City and both the Maokong Cable car and U Bike service are suspended. TRANSLATED BY：CLARE LEAR 梅姬颱風襲台，台北市颳起11級陣風，路樹被連根拔起，多條主要幹道包括中山北路，林森南路，承德路等，都有招牌鐵皮掉落，巨型路樹倒在路中央，不只砸到停在路邊的車輛，還佔據兩線道，警消趕忙拉起封鎖線。 強陣風也讓機車騎士和騎單車民眾好辛苦，路人還被吹到快站不起來，有人乾脆蹲在101大樓門口，內湖明湖國中校門也被風吹倒，而雨傘開花的更大有人在，有人乾脆不撐傘。 兒童新樂園的摩天輪吊廂也隨強風起舞，門口彩色玻璃圍幕被風吹掀，碎了一地，工作人員趕緊固定 士林還有好幾輛機車被吹到路中間，士林科學園區守衛室也被風吹倒，由於風雨太大，捷運局宣布下午1點起，捷運文湖線和其他高架路段停駛，各路線公車也暫停營運。 ==公車司機 翁先生== 載不到5個人(載不到5個)一趟 有時候連半個都沒有 環保局人員風雨中也出動清理排水溝，就怕雨勢再大，排水不及會有淹水災情。 ==環保局人員== 就也是有些有阻塞雜物 北市淡水河，基隆河和景美溪水位上升，但尚無溢堤危險，北市水閘門上午9點已全數關閉，也拖吊未駛離車輛，環保局今天停收垃圾，貓纜和Ubike也都停止營運。 記者 李曉儒 吳嘉堡 台北報導