Officials trade barbs over flooding disaster

As the death toll from Typhoon Xangsane (象神) rose to 61 yesterday, officials began pointing fingers at each other over responsibility for the disaster. Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) yesterday criticized Keelung officials' poor performance in the disaster, while Keelung Mayor Lee Chin-yung (李進勇) rebutted Chang's criticism, insisting the premier's comments were untrue.

Typhoon Xangsane, which battered the island Wednesday and Thursday, produced the worst flooding seen in decades in northern Taiwan and triggered deadly mudslides around Taipei. Flooding was particularly heavy in Keelung, where 14 elderly people drowned in a flooded ground-floor nursing home.

After the disaster, Chang yesterday said that the government would review development plans along the riverbanks of the Keelung River. "We need to pursue sustainable development in Taiwan," Chang said.

Meanwhile, Chang criticized Keelung officials for not doing their job well. Chang said he had told the National Fire Administration (消防署) and local fire departments in Keelung to pay close attention to the Keelung River after its water level rose above the safety level. "Why did local fire departments fail to warn people about the rising flood after the water passed the safety level?" Chang asked.

Chang also said the Executive Yuan will investigate further the cause of the flooding to clarify Keelung officials' responsibility for any wrongdoing.

In response to Chang's criticism, Keelung's Mayor Lee yesterday denied the premier's accusation, saying that the premier should not blame Keelung officials for the flooding deaths before an investigation has revealed where fault lay. "It is the central government's ability to lead that should be blamed," Lee said.

According to Lee, local rescue teams did all they could to combat the flooding, but traffic delays caused by the flooding made it impossible for rescuers to reach the disaster areas immediately.

Lee also accused government leaders of inaction in advance of the typhoon.

Lee later said government officials should stop finger-pointing and work together to solve the flooding problem. He also later explained his counteraccusations against the premier, saying Chang's comments had seriously offended him and other Keelung officials.