Since late July, three individuals have gone missing and 77 have sustained injuries due to the severe weather conditions caused by a depression and strong southwesterly airstreams in the region. The agriculture sector in the south of Taiwan has been significantly impacted by the ongoing flooding and landslides.
Central Weather Administration reported that over 2.6m of rain fell in the mountainous southern areas over the past seven days, exceeding the average annual rainfall of approximately 2.1m in subtropical Taiwan.
Premier Cho Jung-tai visited the affected residents in Tainan and pledged to propose a special budget for relief efforts. He described the recent storm as one of the most severe encountered in the region, with continuous rainfall since Typhoon Danas hit a month ago.
More than 2000 individuals are still unable to return to their homes, particularly in the mountainous villages of Kaohsiung and Pingtung county. Rescue teams are working tirelessly to reopen roads blocked by landslides and flooding, while also providing essential supplies to those in need.
Mayor Chen Chi-mai of Kaohsiung emphasized the dangers of venturing into the mountains and urged residents to exercise caution. Weather authorities have predicted a decrease in rainfall from Monday onwards, although landslide and flooding warnings remain in effect for the southern mountains.
In July, Typhoon Danas caused unprecedented damage to southern Taiwan, knocking down over 3000 electric poles and severely affecting the power grid. The recent spate of extreme weather events has underscored the vulnerability of the region to natural disasters.
