Southern Taiwan is being hit by heavy rain, and the military has put over a thousand troops on standby — a precaution that should limit damage but signals officials expect flooding.

• Strong southwest winds and a low-pressure system are dumping heavy rain across southern Taiwan.
• The army's Fourth Operational Area has 1,072 troops ready, plus generators, pumps, and hundreds of pieces of rescue gear.
• Liaison officers and advance units are already posted in the areas most likely to flood.
• Troops are working in Kaohsiung and Pingtung districts on early evacuations, pumping out water, and clearing blocked roads.

Outlook: The rain is expected to keep falling, so evacuations and flood clean-up in Kaohsiung and Pingtung will likely continue in the coming days.