TAIPEI: The season's second tropical storm, Nangka, is grinding towards Taiwan, ready to strike the island this weekend, just days after tropical storm Linfa swept through the Taiwan Straits, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) forecast yesterday.

Nangka, the Malaysian name for jackfruit, formed over the Philippines Tuesday. The CWB predicted Nangka's outer rim will begin to have an effect on Taiwan tomorrow at the earliest.

As of 8 am yesterday, Nangka was located more than 1,000 kilometers south of Taiwan, moving west towards the South China Sea at a speed of 23 kph.

The storm system is expected to turn north towards Taiwan after it reaches the South China Sea area, CWB meteorologists said.

Damage is still being assessed from tropical storm Linfa, the first storm to hit Taiwan this season. Linfa raged through the area last weekend. Yesterday, the fishery agency under the Department of Agriculture announced that as much as 90 percent of the oyster farms along the coast of Chiayi have been heavily damaged. The agency estimated the loss at about NT$400 million.

An inspection yesterday revealed that 90 percent of the floating oyster beds have been totally or partially damaged. The spokesman said the agency would meet with local officials and members of the industry to discuss compensation.

Linfa hit late Saturday night, bringing heavy rainfall in central and southern Taiwan, especially to mountain regions. Taidong recorded the heaviest rainfall at 331 mm, followed by Hualien at 188 mm and Pingtung at 155 mm.

Linfa's highest winds were recorded at Penghu Island which reported gusts of 117.4 kph. The storm never reached typhoon intensity.

Twenty-six to 28 tropical storms are forecast for this year, with most coming between June and December.

Two major typhoons reached Taiwan last year, including a slow-moving storm that brought more than 1,100 mm (43 inches) of rain and killed 12 people.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 06/25/2009 page2)