颱風不來，台灣面臨缺水危機Water crisis in Taiwan due to a lack of typhoons this year

On average, Taiwan experiences 3.5 typhoons a year, which usually brings abundant rainfall to the island. However, this is the first time since 1964 that not a single typhoon has landed in Taiwan during the season. The reservoirs in Taiwan have dipped to remarkably low water levels as a result.

Major dams in northern Taiwan, such as Feitsui Dam and Mingde Dam, have raised the alarm about possible water shortages. The government is asking people to conserve water while water use is increasing amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, and Taichung will be the first affected by the water restriction measures, reducing water pressure during nighttime off-peak hours as phase one, starting mid-October.

友善讓你懂｜解說：

有沒有注意到，今年是個「零颱風」年呢？平均而言，台灣每年都大約有3.5個左右的颱風侵台，為我們帶來豐沛雨量。然而，今年是從1964年以來，首次在汛期期間沒有半個颱風登陸的一年。由於異常缺少颱風及熱帶性低氣壓的關係，台灣水庫的蓄水量持續下探。

幾個北台灣的主要水庫，如翡翠水庫及明德水庫等，已經發出低水位警告來警示可能的缺水危機了。政府呼籲民眾節約用水，但時值新冠疫情期間，用水量仍持續上升。

從十月中開始，桃園、新竹、苗栗及台中等地，會優先施行限水政策，第一階段將在夜間離峰時段降低水壓。後續的二、三階段限水政策，將視第一階段的成效再決定實施與否。

輕鬆帶著走｜學習：

dip（v.）是指下降、墜落。

例句：

Demand dips in the economic downturn.
經濟衰退時市場需求也下降。

dip（v.）也可以指浸、泡，而dip a/you toe in the water，則是探索、摸索的意思。

例句：

The artist dipped a piece of cloth into the dye.
畫家把一塊布料浸入染劑中。

本篇其他相關單字：

• rainfall (n.) 雨量
• flood season 汛期
• reservoir (n.) 水庫
• conserve (v.) 保留、節約
• off-peak (adj.) 離峰的、淡季的