He claims to have lost about NT$4 million to NT$5 million last year after his stock of suits and menswear in his basement were submerged.
The small-business owner said he had no money to buy pumps or other preventive equipment and that he only had one plan: "If it starts to flood, we'll try to pack everything up."
Last year, Typhoon Toraji killed about 200 people in July, while Nari struck in mid-September, killing around 100 people. Nari caused the capital's worst-ever flooding, knocking out portions of the subway system for months and flooding some 2,000 commercial buildings.
Publicly listed companies reported a total of NT$1.44 billion in Nari-related damage, while agricultural losses from the typhoon totalled NT$2.79 billion.
In the Wufenpu (五分埔) clothing market nearby, many small-business owners also hit hard by floods last year chose to keep their doors shut yesterday. Those still on the street were busy packing up clothes in plastic bags, hoping to move to higher ground.
"We are so terrified by floods," a shop clerk in her early 20s said as she rolled up pants and skirts and put piles of folded clothes into plastic bags.
One middle-aged shop owner, surnamed Ker, said she wasn't going anywhere and planned to try to protect her investment. Her strategy was simple: stack clothes as high as possible on the racks.
"I'm stuck here and don't know what to do next except hope we don't get flooded tonight," Ker said.
Many other store owners had the same plan as Ker, while others in the area seemed to be totally unprepared.
"We'll keep an eye on the weather reports. If the situation turns worse, we'll move our stuff to the second floor," a clerk at a two-story bookstore said.
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