TAIPEI: People all over Taiwan are hoping for rain. Even as tropical storm Morakot bears down on the island, it is still not clear whether the storm will bring the heavy rains needed to alleviate the drought that has settled in over much of Taiwan.

"It remains to be seen whether and how the tropical storm, dubbed Morakot, will directly affect Taiwan," a Central Weather Bureau (CWB) meteorologist said.

As the dry summer wears on, officials are planning to meet next week to discuss imposition of water rationing.

Already, authorities are preparing to reduce water supplies to swimming pools.

In areas worst-hit by shortages, the supply of water used for the cleaning of high-rise buildings and washing of cars may be halted, Vice economic chief Hwang Jung-Chiou told reporters in Taipei yesterday.

"We're urging the public to conserve water," he said. Nighttime supplies in the northern Taoyuan area, a transportation and electronics-manufacturing base, have been reduced to help ease the shortages.

Taiwanese government officials will meet on August 11 to discuss possible water rationing, Hwang said.

Tropical storm Morakot, the eighth storm system reported in the West Pacific region this year, is expected to head in a west-northwesterly direction toward Taiwan, the CWB said.

Based on current projections, the tropical storm will begin affecting Taiwan on August 7 or 8.

Only 140.9 centimeters (5.5 inches) of rain fell in July, 43 percent below the long-term average. The CWB reported in July that conditions pointed to the development of El Nino weather conditions, the periodic cycle that can creates droughts.

El Nino conditions, which occur about every four to seven years, have already resulted in dry weather in some Asian nations, including India.

According to the CWB, Morakot was located 1,500-plus kilometers east of Taiwan's southernmost tip of Eluanbi, moving in a northwesterly direction toward Taiwan at a speed of nine kilometers per hour.

Agencies

(HK Edition 08/05/2009 page2)