Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05TAIPEI3076
2005-07-21 02:03:00
UNCLASSIFIED
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Cable title:
TYPHOON HAITUNG CONTINUES TO POUND SOUTHERN TAIWAN
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 003076
SIPDIS
STATE PLEASE PASS TO AIT/W AND EAP/RSP/TC
STATE PLEASE ALSO PASS TO USEPA/OIA
FROM AIT KAOHSIUNG BRANCH OFFICE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMGT SENV ECON KSCA KPAO TW ESTH
SUBJECT: TYPHOON HAITUNG CONTINUES TO POUND SOUTHERN TAIWAN
TAIPEI 02641, 03073
UNCLASSIFIED
SIPDIS
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 003076
SIPDIS
STATE PLEASE PASS TO AIT/W AND EAP/RSP/TC
STATE PLEASE ALSO PASS TO USEPA/OIA
FROM AIT KAOHSIUNG BRANCH OFFICE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMGT SENV ECON KSCA KPAO TW ESTH
SUBJECT: TYPHOON HAITUNG CONTINUES TO POUND SOUTHERN TAIWAN
TAIPEI 02641, 03073
UNCLASSIFIED
SIPDIS
1. Summary. While rains have abated in northern Taiwan,
Typhoon Haitang and subsequent heavy rains are continuing to
pound southern Taiwan. In addition to the impacts reported
in reftel b, the storm has caused extensive damage to roads
and bridges, destroyed several homes and stranded residents
and travelers in Kenting and Green Island. Kaohsiung Harbor
has experienced serious impact, with a stranded freighter
outside the port and several containers washed overboard
inside the port. Damage estimates continue to rise, with
current estimates in excess of US$ 80 million. Rains are
expected to continue unabated for the next thirty-six hours,
preventing repair work on bridges and roads damaged by the
storm. End Summary
2. Virtually all areas of southern Taiwan have received in
excess of 1300 mm of rainfall, leading to large numbers of
mudslides, flooding and destruction of homes. More than
twenty homes have been washed into local rivers in Taitung,
Pingtung and Kaohsiung counties. Relief work is limited to
emergency measures only, with substantial repairs to begin
when the storm abates.
3. On-going rains continue to cause tremendous damage to the
roadways and bridges in Southern Taiwan. In Pingtung
County, a 30 meter-long landslide damaged the Fengkung
Bridge linking Pingtung and Hengchun Peninsula. Four houses
alongside the bridge and other businesses crashed into the
river as a result of the landslide. Local residents and
businesses near the bridge and landslide were evacuated to
elevated shelters. With the bridge down and road travel
impossible, more than 3000 tourists and 200,000 local
residents are stranded in the Kenting area. Efforts to move
people by helicopter to Hengchun Airport and on to Taipei by
commercial air have been hampered by continuing heavy
thunderstorm activity.
4. Fifteen bridges in Pingtung County were closed and nine
townships were completely cut off. Water supply to the
southern part of Pingtung County was suspended when the
water pipeline was damaged by mudslides. Officials are
estimating a minimum of three days to effect temporary
repairs once the rains stop. In Kaohsiung County, more than
thirty kilometers of route 24 have been inundated by
landslides, making travel in the area virtually impossible.
5. In Taitung County, sixteen houses in Chialan Village were
washed into the river by the flood. Four hundred local
residents in Taimali and Tawu area were evacuated to a
community center. Taitung County Magistrate Hsu Ching-yuan
gave relief funds to the villagers and said the county
authorities would build temporary houses for the villagers
once the water recedes. Flights between Green Island,
Orchid Island and Taiwan were canceled because of the bad
weather. 1,582 tourists were stranded in Green Island. The
southern cross-island railroad transportation has been
suspended. At present, Taitung County can only be accessed
via air transport from Taipei.
6. The storm has caused substantial disruption to operations
in Kaohsiung Harbor. A gravel freighter sailing between
Anping Harbor and Kaohsiung Harbor was stranded outside of
Kaohsiung Harbor after losing power due to the bad weather.
Eleven of twenty-two crewmen were rescued by helicopter. The
Taiwan Coast Guard is continuing rescue operations for the
remaining crew and is taking steps to prevent the ship from
spilling fuel. Twenty-three containers onboard a container
ship at anchor in Kaohsiung Harbor were washed overboard by
high waves. The cargo from those containers is scattered
around the Shiziwan Beach at the mouth of the harbor.
7. In earlier incidents, a local cargo vessel carrying sand
and stone ran aground 500 feet off the Nanliao fishing
harbor in Kaohsiung County, on July 18. On the same day, a
Korean oil tanker was stranded off the Chijin Island, the
barrier island of Kaohsiung Harbor. All crewmen of the
local vessel were rescued, and the Korean oil tanker
regained steerage and left the area. Kaohsiung Harbor
Authority has formed a special inter-agency task force to
manage the crisis.
8. Despite the scale of the storm damage, local authorities
have no reports of U.S. citizens in distress. Contact with
local wardens also indicates that no Amcits are known to
have suffered serious loss or injury. Travel throughout
Southern Taiwan remains extremely hazardous. While
Kaohsiung City and Tainan City have largely removed downed
trees and debris, traffic remains snarled by malfunctioning
traffic lights, heavy rain and high water. In the remainder
of the district, travel in virtually impossible.
Johnson
Paal
SIPDIS
STATE PLEASE PASS TO AIT/W AND EAP/RSP/TC
STATE PLEASE ALSO PASS TO USEPA/OIA
FROM AIT KAOHSIUNG BRANCH OFFICE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMGT SENV ECON KSCA KPAO TW ESTH
SUBJECT: TYPHOON HAITUNG CONTINUES TO POUND SOUTHERN TAIWAN
TAIPEI 02641, 03073
UNCLASSIFIED
SIPDIS
1. Summary. While rains have abated in northern Taiwan,
Typhoon Haitang and subsequent heavy rains are continuing to
pound southern Taiwan. In addition to the impacts reported
in reftel b, the storm has caused extensive damage to roads
and bridges, destroyed several homes and stranded residents
and travelers in Kenting and Green Island. Kaohsiung Harbor
has experienced serious impact, with a stranded freighter
outside the port and several containers washed overboard
inside the port. Damage estimates continue to rise, with
current estimates in excess of US$ 80 million. Rains are
expected to continue unabated for the next thirty-six hours,
preventing repair work on bridges and roads damaged by the
storm. End Summary
2. Virtually all areas of southern Taiwan have received in
excess of 1300 mm of rainfall, leading to large numbers of
mudslides, flooding and destruction of homes. More than
twenty homes have been washed into local rivers in Taitung,
Pingtung and Kaohsiung counties. Relief work is limited to
emergency measures only, with substantial repairs to begin
when the storm abates.
3. On-going rains continue to cause tremendous damage to the
roadways and bridges in Southern Taiwan. In Pingtung
County, a 30 meter-long landslide damaged the Fengkung
Bridge linking Pingtung and Hengchun Peninsula. Four houses
alongside the bridge and other businesses crashed into the
river as a result of the landslide. Local residents and
businesses near the bridge and landslide were evacuated to
elevated shelters. With the bridge down and road travel
impossible, more than 3000 tourists and 200,000 local
residents are stranded in the Kenting area. Efforts to move
people by helicopter to Hengchun Airport and on to Taipei by
commercial air have been hampered by continuing heavy
thunderstorm activity.
4. Fifteen bridges in Pingtung County were closed and nine
townships were completely cut off. Water supply to the
southern part of Pingtung County was suspended when the
water pipeline was damaged by mudslides. Officials are
estimating a minimum of three days to effect temporary
repairs once the rains stop. In Kaohsiung County, more than
thirty kilometers of route 24 have been inundated by
landslides, making travel in the area virtually impossible.
5. In Taitung County, sixteen houses in Chialan Village were
washed into the river by the flood. Four hundred local
residents in Taimali and Tawu area were evacuated to a
community center. Taitung County Magistrate Hsu Ching-yuan
gave relief funds to the villagers and said the county
authorities would build temporary houses for the villagers
once the water recedes. Flights between Green Island,
Orchid Island and Taiwan were canceled because of the bad
weather. 1,582 tourists were stranded in Green Island. The
southern cross-island railroad transportation has been
suspended. At present, Taitung County can only be accessed
via air transport from Taipei.
6. The storm has caused substantial disruption to operations
in Kaohsiung Harbor. A gravel freighter sailing between
Anping Harbor and Kaohsiung Harbor was stranded outside of
Kaohsiung Harbor after losing power due to the bad weather.
Eleven of twenty-two crewmen were rescued by helicopter. The
Taiwan Coast Guard is continuing rescue operations for the
remaining crew and is taking steps to prevent the ship from
spilling fuel. Twenty-three containers onboard a container
ship at anchor in Kaohsiung Harbor were washed overboard by
high waves. The cargo from those containers is scattered
around the Shiziwan Beach at the mouth of the harbor.
7. In earlier incidents, a local cargo vessel carrying sand
and stone ran aground 500 feet off the Nanliao fishing
harbor in Kaohsiung County, on July 18. On the same day, a
Korean oil tanker was stranded off the Chijin Island, the
barrier island of Kaohsiung Harbor. All crewmen of the
local vessel were rescued, and the Korean oil tanker
regained steerage and left the area. Kaohsiung Harbor
Authority has formed a special inter-agency task force to
manage the crisis.
8. Despite the scale of the storm damage, local authorities
have no reports of U.S. citizens in distress. Contact with
local wardens also indicates that no Amcits are known to
have suffered serious loss or injury. Travel throughout
Southern Taiwan remains extremely hazardous. While
Kaohsiung City and Tainan City have largely removed downed
trees and debris, traffic remains snarled by malfunctioning
traffic lights, heavy rain and high water. In the remainder
of the district, travel in virtually impossible.
Johnson
Paal