Taipei, May 17 (CNA) - The Central Weather Administration (CWA) has issued a heavy rain advisory for the Kaohsiung and Pingtung areas due to vigorous afternoon convection, warning of potential severe thunderstorms. A disaster prevention alert for mountainous torrential rain has also been issued for Sandimen Township in Pingtung County. The CWA released the heavy rain advisory this afternoon, stating that vigorous afternoon convective cloud systems are prone to causing short-duration heavy rainfall. Today, residents in the Kaohsiung and Pingtung areas should be aware of localized heavy rain, and watch out for lightning, strong wind gusts, landslides and rockfalls in mountainous areas, and flooding in low-lying regions. The conditions are expected to persist into the evening. The CWA also issued a real-time severe thunderstorm message for the Kaohsiung-Pingtung area, warning of short-duration heavy rainfall accompanied by strong gusts. The public is advised to be cautious of flash floods in streams and rivers, landslides, rockfalls, and to be wary of flooding and low visibility in low-lying areas. Furthermore, the CWA issued a disaster prevention alert for the Shamo River (Haishen Palace) in Pingtung County, effective until 4:39 PM. The alert warns of torrential rain in this area and advises people to be mindful of rapidly rising stream levels and to evacuate from river areas promptly. The warning area is Sandimen Township, Pingtung County. People are urged to stay away from river areas and refrain from activities such as river tracing, fishing, or swimming to ensure safety. (Editor: Chen Jen-hua) 1150517