Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) Chairman Chen Yunlin (陳雲林) yesterday visited a village in Nantou County that was hard-hit by Typhoon Morakot, but no victims were invited to share their experience with him, while protesters were blocked by police.
Morakot slammed southern Taiwan in August, claiming at least 700 lives and causing the nation’s worst flooding in 50 years. Prior to his arrival in Taichung on Monday, Chen had said he hoped to visit areas affected by the typhoon.
Nantou County Commissioner Lee Chao-ching (李朝卿) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday arranged for Chen to visit Hsinshan Village (新山村), where 17 of 30 houses were flooded by the Chenyoulan River during the typhoon.
Chen said he hoped Lee would “express our goodwill to the areas hit by Typhoon Morakot” after listening to a briefing on the village’s reconstruction process.
“I feel sad that this natural disaster caused such serious damage, but on the other hand, I am impressed by the effectiveness of the government agencies in disaster relief and reconstruction work,” Chen said.
ARATS said it received NT$450 million (US$13 million) in donations from people in China, adding it had given NT$150 million to the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) and would wire the remaining NT$300 million next week.
SEF Chairman Chiang Pin-kung (江丙坤) said ARATS had expressed its concern about the disaster immediately after the typhoon, adding that the SEF would make good use of the
donations from China to help victims rebuild.
Chiang said the SEF had planned to arrange a visit to hard-hit areas in southern Taiwan, but did not do so “because of time constraints.”
Severely affected areas in southern Taiwan such as Tainan and Kaohsiung counties are mostly governed by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Chen left Hsinshan for a lunch banquet at Sun Moon Lake after speaking to the media. He declined to comment on an incident on Wednesday night, in which a police officer was injured after falling from a truck as he tried to stop protesters from shooting fireworks at the hotel where Chen was staying.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old