Flood and mudflow prevention engineering work around dams created by landslides during the 921 earthquake will be completed within three weeks, Chairman of the Council of Agriculture, Hsi-huang (
During a field inspection of disaster areas in Nantou County yesterday morning -- including the famous landslide dam formed on Chiufenerh Mountain (
"The safety of the barrier lake should not be an issue now because the spillways we originally built have been reinforced," said Chen, referring to the channels that drain excess water that might otherwise cause the dam to overflow during the forthcoming typhoon season.
PHOTO: LIN YOU-HUA, LIBERTY TIMES
"However, vulnerable villages in the lower part of the river must be protected by more fortifications, which will be completed by June 22," he said.
Officials from the council's Soil and Water Conservation Bureau (
"We are conducting engineering works to deal with the invisible deterioration of the dam caused by water erosion of the soil," said the bureau's director-general, Chen Chih-ching (
A number of underground streams have been discovered that surface downhill from the dam.
He said that engineers were also backfilling a number of holes dug after the quake by rescue teams searching for bodies that might have been buried in the landslide.
However, the director admitted he was worried that bad weather might slow the engineering works.
Council chairman Chen said that central Taiwan-based personnel, including forestry and water resources units, would cooperate with a new special commission to be launched on June 1.
The Cabinet-level Post-disaster Reconstruction Commission, composed of about 200 officials based in central Taiwan, was recently re-organized by Premier Tang Fei (
One priority for the commission is providing solutions to mudflow threats in mountainous areas.
Council chairman Chen said yesterday that a NT$200 million budget for supplementary issues had been earmarked for pro-active disaster-prevention measures, including flood and mudflow prevention engineering works.
Chen also visited several townships and villages in Nantou County, where more than 180 sites were listed as dangerously at risk from potential mudflows after the 921 earthquake.
Chen said that he had established 12 teams to manage these sites by building fortifications to prevent floods and mudflows.
Although the water catchments behind the landslide dams have stabilized, Chen said, the council would continue to monitor such sites and a long-term landslide hazard risk assessment and response plan has been developed.
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