TW-80018

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Country: Malaysia
Username: EeOng
Sent on: 22 Aug, 2009
Received on: 29 Aug, 2009
Description: 天佑台灣 /God bless Taiwan



After Morakot landed in the midnight of August 8, almost the entire southern region of Taiwan (Chiayi, Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung counties) and parts of Taitung County and Nantou County were flooded by record-breaking heavy rain. The rainfall in Pingtung County exceeded 2,600 millimetres (100 in), breaking all rainfall records of any single place in Taiwan induced by a single typhoon. Airlines in Taiwan did hold some flights in and out of airports, but seaports were closed. Electricity supplies were cut to approximately 25,000 homes.

Reports indicated that at least 600 people were missing throughout southern Taiwan. Most were residents of Xiaolin (小林村), a mountain village with 1,300 residents in Jiaxian Township. The village was buried by a massive mudslide that destroyed most of the town. It is estimated that 118 people died in the village due to the mudslide, which reports indicated covered all but two houses. It was reported that all roads toward Namaxia Township were either blocked or washed away by severe mudslides. Hundreds of residents were trapped for four days, and were running out of food and water. In addition, water and electricity had been cut. A rescue helicopter, working to retrieve survivors of the mudslide crashed into a mountain side early on August 11, killing the three occupants. Crews have been unable to reach the wreckage due to the steep terrain.

A swollen river in Taitung County undermined 51 homes and swept them away into the Pacific, leaving numerous residents homeless. No people were in the homes when they fell into the river. In the famous Jhiben (Chih-Pen, 知本) hot springs area, the six-story Jinshuai Hotel was destroyed when it collapsed into the Jhiben Creek after being undermined by flood waters. Several stores in front of the hotel were washed away days earlier as the river continued to overflow its banks and inundate nearby towns and cities. Running water in Tainan County to 280,000 was shut down as flood waters contaminated the local reservoir.

Throughout Taiwan, at least 107 people were confirmed to have been killed by the storm as of August 13. The record-breaking rains also caused catastrophic agricultural losses, with estimates reaching NT$9 billion ($274 million USD). At its peak, roughly 1.58 million were without power across the island and over 710,000 were without water pressure. Tourism losses due to the typhoon were estimated to be at least NT$800 million ($24.4 million USD).

However, Morakot also ended a month-long drought and replenished reservoirs enough to warrant an end to water rationing.

The "Little Three Links" between Kinmen of the Republic of China and Xiamen of the People's Republic of China was suspended. Almost all reservoirs in Kinmen County were full. Winds at Force 13 on the Beaufort scale were recorded in the Matsu Islands.

National Disaster Prevention and Protection Commission is the task-force-grouped committee authorized by the law of Disaster Prevention and Protection.

God bless Taiwan!!!!


References:
wikipedia