Typhoon Holiday Only 6 Hours? Taichung City Government Defends: 'It's 6 Hours Early, Total 30 Hours Off'
2026/07/09 23:51 Reporter Su Mengjuan / Taichung Report
Taichung announces work and school suspension from 18:00 Friday through all day Saturday. (Provided by city government)
As Typhoon Bavi approaches, the Taichung City Government announced Thursday evening that a typhoon holiday would begin at 18:00 on Friday (July 10), and also announced that all day Saturday (July 11) would be a work and school suspension. However, the policy of only a 6-hour typhoon holiday on Friday drew widespread criticism. Mayor Lu Shiow-yen's Facebook page was flooded with complaints. Despite the city government rushing to release the Central Weather Administration's quantitative precipitation forecast map at 9 PM, the criticism continued. Late Thursday night, the city government explained a second time, emphasizing: "The typhoon holiday is implemented 6 hours early, with work and school suspension lasting 30 hours, allowing citizens to prepare for the typhoon."
Strong typhoon Bavi is approaching. The Taichung City Government announced at 8 PM Thursday that starting from 18:00 on Friday (July 10), work and school would be suspended, and all day Saturday (July 11) would also be a holiday. However, the policy of only a 6-hour holiday on Friday sparked outrage. Many people argued that the wind and rain would intensify later in the evening, yet the policy forced people to risk traveling home in potentially hazardous conditions after work or school.
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The Taichung City Government quickly released the Central Weather Administration's quantitative precipitation forecast map, explaining that according to CWA data, accumulated rainfall from 20:00 on July 10 to 08:00 the next day is expected to reach 150–200 mm or more in 12 hours. From 08:00 to 20:00 on July 11, accumulated rainfall in mountainous areas could reach 300 mm, even reaching torrential rain levels. The city government based its decision on this data.
However, dissatisfaction continued, and netizens flooded Mayor Lu's Facebook page. At 11:30 PM, the city government issued a second statement.
Luan Chih-yi, Director of the Taichung City Government Information Bureau, stated that based on CWA forecast data, accumulated rainfall during the daytime on July 10 is estimated to be less than 50 mm, with rain and wind intensifying only after nightfall. On July 11, accumulated rainfall is forecast to reach 300–500 mm. The typhoon's impact will increase starting July 11. "To give citizens ample time to prepare for the typhoon and to include evening shift workers in the work and school suspension coverage, Mayor Lu decisively decided to suspend work and school from 6:00 PM tomorrow. This implements the typhoon holiday 6 hours early, for a total of 30 hours."
