President Chen Shui-bian (
"My country has just felt the effects of one of the most serious typhoons in 40 years. Thankfully, the damage was less than might have been expected because of an efficient prevention system," Chen said to President Idriss Bedy of Chad.
"I would like to express my sincere apology to the people of Chad for having to shorten my visit here," Chen said, adding that he thanked the people for their understanding.
Bedy said that a leader must attend to the concerns of his people.
"As the leader of a country, I surely understand your concerns. If I were you, I would do the same thing," Bedy said, recalling the time in 1997 when he was visiting Taiwan and a typhoon had ripped across the island.
The Presidential Office held a press conference yesterday morning to give details of Chen's schedule for today after he arrives at around 3pm.
"Premier Tang Fei (
Chen Che-nan added that he, the president and Tang would board an official flight after the president's arrival at Chiang Kai-shek International Airport and fly directly to typhoon-affected areas including the townships of Puli (
According to Chen Che-nan, President Chen will arrive in Puli township at 4:20pm and make an inspection tour at housing developments in the Niuman area (
Then at 5:30pm, the president will arrive in the township of Shuili and join Chief of the General Staff Tang Yao-ming (
The president will also visit eastern Taiwan including Hualien County tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Tang, accompanied by Minister of the Interior Chang Po-ya (
Tang further instructed that power supplies to the three hardest-hit Hualien townships -- Juisui (
The Council of Agriculture said the worst damage was to Taitung County.
Total damages in agriculture, forestry, fishery and live stock are estimated at NT$4.05 billion.
"The southeastern area where the typhoon made landfall was the worst hit with an estimated damage worth NT$926 million," the council said.
Tang also said he would direct the Cabinet to study the feasibility of offering financial compensation or loans to people whose houses were damaged or destroyed during the typhoon. Prior to the 921 earthquake, the government did not offer compensation for damage to real estate from typhoons.
ROLLER-COASTER RIDE: More than five earthquakes ranging from magnitude 4.4 to 5.5 on the Richter scale shook eastern Taiwan in rapid succession yesterday afternoon Back-to-back weather fronts are forecast to hit Taiwan this week, resulting in rain across the nation in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration said yesterday, as it also warned residents in mountainous regions to be wary of landslides and rockfalls. As the first front approached, sporadic rainfall began in central and northern parts of Taiwan yesterday, the agency said, adding that rain is forecast to intensify in those regions today, while brief showers would also affect other parts of the nation. A second weather system is forecast to arrive on Thursday, bringing additional rain to the whole nation until Sunday, it
LANDSLIDES POSSIBLE: The agency advised the public to avoid visiting mountainous regions due to more expected aftershocks and rainfall from a series of weather fronts A series of earthquakes over the past few days were likely aftershocks of the April 3 earthquake in Hualien County, with further aftershocks to be expected for up to a year, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Based on the nation’s experience after the quake on Sept. 21, 1999, more aftershocks are possible over the next six months to a year, the agency said. A total of 103 earthquakes of magnitude 4 on the local magnitude scale or higher hit Hualien County from 5:08pm on Monday to 10:27am yesterday, with 27 of them exceeding magnitude 5. They included two, of magnitude
CONDITIONAL: The PRC imposes secret requirements that the funding it provides cannot be spent in states with diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Emma Reilly said China has been bribing UN officials to obtain “special benefits” and to block funding from countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a former UN employee told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. At a House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee hearing into “international relations within the multilateral system,” former Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) employee Emma Reilly said in a written statement that “Beijing paid bribes to the two successive Presidents of the [UN] General Assembly” during the two-year negotiation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Another way China exercises influence within the UN Secretariat is
Taiwan’s first drag queen to compete on the internationally acclaimed RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nymphia Wind (妮妃雅), was on Friday crowned the “Next Drag Superstar.” Dressed in a sparkling banana dress, Nymphia Wind swept onto the stage for the final, and stole the show. “Taiwan this is for you,” she said right after show host RuPaul announced her as the winner. “To those who feel like they don’t belong, just remember to live fearlessly and to live their truth,” she said on stage. One of the frontrunners for the past 15 episodes, the 28-year-old breezed through to the final after weeks of showcasing her unique