The insufficient rainfall is hurting the local tourism, with the water level of the Sun Moon Lake dropping 5 meters, marking the lowest in 5 years. Even though the recent downpour has brought in about 20 centimeters of water, the National Scenic Area Administration says that they may have to shut down the three docks in the area if the situation doesn't get better. The Sun Moon Lake, located in central Taiwan's Nantou County, has long been famous for its crystalline, emerald green waters and the high mountains surrounding it. Part of the lake has dried up and tourists can see the supporting pillars of the wharfs that were supposed to be underwater. The lake in central Taiwan is a main source for power generation, irrigation and drinking water, and is a well-known sightseeing spot for domestic and international tourists. Back in February, the lake had a water level of 748 meters. But within just three months, the level has dropped by 5 meters, while the level measured now is only 0.4 meters higher than the safety limit of 742.5 meters required for water levels surrounding the wharfs. Even thought the water level has risen for 20 centimeters because of the rain over the past few days, the Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area Administration says that it will have to temporarily shut down three major wharfs and suspend boat cruises if the water level continues to fall to 738 meters for safety concerns. If the wharfs are closed down, it will surely bring negative impact on local tourism. ◆ 追蹤更多華視影音及圖文新聞: 1.用Plurk追蹤華視影音及圖文新聞:追蹤 2.用Twitter追蹤華視影音及圖文新聞:追蹤
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