TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Stricter water rationing will be introduced on the Chiayi–Tainan Plain, or Jianan Plain, in the south central region of western Taiwan amid sparse rainfall.

The Zengwen Reservoir in Chiayi County, the largest reservoir in Taiwan, was at only 15.01 percent of capacity as of 10 a.m. on Monday (Feb. 22). In northern Taiwan, the Shimen and Feicui reservoirs showed water levels at 56.33 percent and 92.42 percent, respectively, wrote CNA.

This will mandate tougher measures for Chiayi and Tainan starting Thursday (Feb. 25), as the country is expected to have low levels of precipitation until the end of June, according to the Taiwan Water Corporation (TWC).

Chiayi and Tainan will join Hsinchu, Miaoli, and Taichung under the orange alert, the third in a four-tier warning system. Orange signifies up to 20-percent reduced water supply for heavy users, including industrial customers, swimming pools, car washes, and spas.

Changhua, Yunlin, and Kaohsiung will also face yellow alert restrictions, which encompass off-peak water pressure reduction and suspension of non-essential activities that require a large amount of water, such as exterior cleaning, at public facilities, said the TWC.

For the first time in 56 years, Taiwan experienced zero typhoons in 2020, which has led to worrying water levels at reservoirs across the country. The seasonal monsoon that arrived earlier this month failed to bring drought relief to the central and southern regions.