Taichung city in central Taiwan has recorded the hottest day of May since 1900 as the temperature reached 36.9 degrees Celsius at Sunday noon, the weather department said.
The island's weather department issued heat alerts to 11 counties and cities across the island Sunday.
The temperature in Nantou county of central Taiwan reached 40 degrees Celsius at around 1:30 p.m. Sunday, the hottest this year, while Taipei also recorded 35 degrees Celsius.
Rainfalls that have started Sunday evening will continue in the next two days and ease the heat wave across the island, the weather forecast said.