《TAIPEI TIMES 焦點》Rain likely to move north after flooding, evacuations

BACK ON TRACK West coast railway lines reopened yesterday afternoon after services between Yunlin and Chiayi counties were suspended due to flooding

By Huang Chia-lin, Hsiao Yu-hsin, Lin Chia-nan and Jake Chung / Staff reporters, with staff writer

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Heavy rains that had been lashing the nation since Friday morning were moving southward on Friday evening, but yesterday hovered over Changhua County, dumping rain in central and southern mountain areas.

Yunlin County saw serious flooding yesterday in several areas, with more than 500 people trapped in Dapi Township’s （大埤） Fongtian Village （豐田）, where water levels rose to about 1.5m.

Fifty-seven residents of Dounan Township’s （斗南） Enhui Care Center residents were evacuated, the county government said, adding that it evacuated another 100 people yesterday.

The army was on standby in Kaohsiung, although most of Taoyuan District’s （桃源） residents were evacuated prior to the torrential downpour, which saw about 600mm of rain in about 24 hours.

Road access between the district’s Chinho （勤和） and Fusing （復興） boroughs was cut off by the flooded Laonong River （荖濃溪）, which washed away road subgrades, the Kaohsiung City Government said. The city government said repairs should be completed by 5pm tomorrow, adding that it released public service announcements prior to the rain telling residents to stock up on food and water supplies.

Rail services on the west coast that were partially suspended due to flooding were restored yesterday afternoon.

The Taiwan Railways Administration （TRA） said that floodwater began to inundate the tracks between Yunlin and Chiayi counties early yesterday and did not subside until noon. During that time, southbound west coast express trains could only reach Changhua Station, and Chiayi Station northbound, the administration said.

The weather front moved southward from northern Taiwan to Chuanghua County at 7:30pm on Friday evening and began moving inland at about 8pm, bringing torrential rain and lightning to the region throughout the night, the Central Weather Bureau said.

The bureau said data from more than 10 weather monitoring stations in Chiayi, Nantou and Yunlin counties showed that rainfall in the region had reached torrential downpour levels.

Despite weakening southwestern airflow, the front continued to encompass Taiwan, with a slight chance of moving north, the bureau said.

Torrential rain and downpours should not be ruled out in mountainous areas of southern Taiwan, the bureau said, adding that the heavy rain has increased the risk of mudslides and people should stay away from mountainous areas.

The weather is expected to remain unstable until Tuesday and people should beware of possible rain, lightning strikes and strong winds, the bureau said, adding that increased rainfall has caused river levels to rise, which could cause flooding in low-lying areas.

The Department of Soil and Water Conservation has since Friday issued red alerts for landslides, mostly in central and southern Taiwan.

As of 4pm yesterday, six counties, 21 townships and 111 villages were listed by the council as red alert regions, including most mountainous areas in Taichung.

Taipei Agricultural Products Marketing Co data published yesterday showed about 1,543 tonnes of vegetables were available in two Taipei fruit and vegetable markets, down 591 tonnes from Friday.

In response to media speculation that vegetable prices might increase by 20 percent, Agriculture and Food Agency Deputy Director-General Su Mao-shiang （蘇茂祥） yesterday said that vegetable prices and supply are stable so far.

Vegetable prices yesterday averaged NT$23.6 （US$0.78） per kilogram, up NT$3.2 from Friday, Su said, adding the increase is reasonable, because average vegetable prices range between NT$20 and NT$35 per kilogram in summer.

Farmer groups have stored up to 15,000 tonnes of vegetables, 3,600 tonnes of which are at the agency’s disposal, Su said, adding that the stock would be distributed in response to market demand.

The council yesterday said the losses of agricultural produce and equipment have already reached NT$21.5 million （US$713,646）.

Yunlin County faced the biggest loss with NT$8.49 million, followed by New Taipei City with NT$4.74 million, Chiayi County with NT$3.92 million and Changhua County with NT$2.28 million, the council said.

Rice has been the most seriously affected, with 720 hectares of rice farms damaged, followed by peanuts, watermelons, corn and sweet potatoes, the council said.

The Ministry of Education yesterday said 102 schools nationwide have been damaged by the heavy rainfall, costing about NT$38 million.

Aletheia University’s New Taipei City campus sustained NT$15 million of damage and Yunlin County’s Lintou Elementary School reported NT$8 million in damage.

New Taipei City’s Dapeng Elementary School sustained NT$2.3 million in damage, while Taipei’s Yangming High School reported NT$2.4 million in damage.

Keelung’s Ansin Kindergarten reported NT$3.1 million in damage.

Separately yesterday, New Power Party caucus convener Hsu Yung-ming （徐永明） slammed Minister of Transportation and Communications Hochen Tan’s （賀陳旦） description of the submersion of Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport’s shopping street as a “leak” rather than a “flood.”

Hochen last year said that the airport would not be flooded again after portions were submerged twice last year.

“Is it really that hard for the minister to issue a sincere apology,” Hsu said. “Even if we do not criticize him for not burning with eagerness to resolve the problem, his remarks amount to a useless excuse — if that is not a poor bureaucratic attitude, what is?”

Additional reporting by Abraham Gerber

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES