TAIPEI • Taiwan lifted its toughest water restrictions for three parts of the island that had seen supplies cut for two days a week after heavy rain helped ease a biting drought.

Taiwan is dealing with its worst drought in history - no typhoons directly hit the island last year, meaning much less rain.

In April, water supplies in parts of Taichung, Changhua and Miaoli started to be limited, with no water for two days every week and tankers sent to supply residents.

But Economy Minister Wang Mei-hua said yesterday those controls would now end after more than a week of heavy rain, helped by a tropical storm brushing Taiwan over the weekend.

However, she said the drought was not over and the government will consider how to further address the island's water shortages.

The drought had threatened to affect Hsinchu, home of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), the world's largest contract chipmaker.

The company has said, though, that it has seen no impact on production from the drought and will continue to trim its water use and buy supplies from tanker trucks for its foundries.

Technology companies have long complained about tight water supplies, which were more acute after factories expanded production following a Sino-US trade war.

The drought has also exacerbated problems with electricity management, leading to two major island-wide blackouts in less than a week.

REUTERS