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MORAKOT: THE AFTERMATH: MOTC asks drivers to stay away from typhoon-hit zones

“Vehicles carrying supplies or equipment are stuck in traffic.” — Chang Chiou-chien, vice minister of transportation and communications

The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) yesterday asked the public to temporarily stop visiting tourist attractions or relatives inside typhoon damaged zones to give priority to vehicles carrying rescue workers and supplies.

“We understand that some people are trying to get home to help clean their family houses or visit relatives,” MOTC Vice Minister Chang Chiou-chien (張邱春) said. “But rescuing victims is the No. 1 task. Some of the accessible roads are now congested because people have started driving their own cars to enter the disaster areas. Vehicles carrying supplies or equipment are stuck in traffic.”

The ministry established yesterday several restricted entry zones, including Hsinyi Township (信義) in Nantou County, Liukuei (六龜) and Jiaxian (甲仙) townships in Kaohsiung County, Taimali (太麻里) and Dawu (大武) townships in Taitung County, Sandimen (三地門), Wutai (霧台) and Linbien (林邊) townships in Pintung County and Alishan Township (阿里山) in Chiayi County. Traffic restrictions are in place from 7am to 7pm every day, with priority access in these restricted zones going to rescue workers.

Chang said the Taiwan Area National Freeway Bureau would also help publicize restricted entry zones through LED panels installed on freeways. However, Chang said that the ministry could not force motorists to steer clear of restricted zones and could only try to talk them out of it.

Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Highways (DGH) has listed 21 sections of road on 10 provincial and county highways that will not be accessible by Aug. 25. Among them, the sections from Baolai (寶來) to Taoyuan (桃源) on Highway 20 and Yako (啞口) to Meishanko (梅山口), all in Kaohsiung County, won’t be accessible until next year.

The scenic Alishan area — one of the most popular tourist attractions in Taiwan — was badly damaged by floods and landslides, which smashed roads and buried various sightseeing spots.

Alishan Highway, which is the main road to the Alishan forest recreation area, suffered massive cave-ins and erosion of the road bed. The DGH estimated that part of the road could be fixed by Sept. 5, although the road was not expected to reopen completely until the end of next month.

Kuo Ching-shuei (郭清水), a DGH official in charge of construction and repair of roads in the area, said it would take at least six months to one year before tourist buses would be able to use the road.

Damage to the Alishan forest railway was even worse, with Yen Mao-sheng (嚴茂盛), the official in charge of railway construction affairs at the Chiayi Forest District Office, estimating that it would take a year to restore the popular scenic railway because more than 200 sections have been damaged.

Four townships in the Ali­shan scenic area, including Jhuci (竹崎), Fanlu (番路), Alishan (阿里山) and Meishan (梅山), received nearly 3,000mm of rain last week, the highest precipitation recorded anywhere in the country.

Restoration of the townships is expected to take many years, as will recovery of the agriculture and tourism sectors in the area, Fanlu Township chief Lou Yin-chang (羅銀章) said.


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