ENVIRONMENT
Nanhua Reservoir at 50%
The storage capacity of the Nanhua Reservoir (南化水庫), is enough to supply water to Greater Tainan until the end of the year, Taiwan Water Corp said yesterday. The reservoir currently has 49.02 million tonnes of water, which is 50 percent of its storage capacity, the company said, adding that the storage level had increased by 5 million tonnes compared with the same period of last year. The increase was mainly the result of water being diverted into the reservoir from rivers in the Chishan (旗山) area of Greater Kaohsiung rather than from rainfall, the company said, adding that water rationing that was due to take effect on May 26 in Tainan had been canceled. However, the Tsengwen Reservoir (曾文水庫) and Wushantou Reservoir (烏山頭水庫), which provide agricultural irrigation water, are still suffering from shortages, the company said. As a result, irrigation for the second crop of rice paddies in the south would be postponed until June 21, because it would require at least 400 million tonnes of water, while the two reservoirs had taken in less than 100 million tonnes as of Tuesday. The Feitsui Reservoir (翡翠水庫) and Shihmen Reservoir (石門水庫) in the north are at 90 percent of their capacities, the company said.
ZOOS
Rhino iguanas Taipei-bound
As part of a cooperation program for animal conservation and reproduction between the Singapore Zoo and Taipei City Zoo, three rhino iguanas will be sent to Taipei. The arrival date of the lizards, which are designated as first-class endangered species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), was not announced. Taipei Zoo Director Jason Yeh (葉傑生) said his zoo would also get three Burmese mountain tortoises. Taipei has already sent 10 tortoises to Singapore in return, including four elongated tortoises, four red-footed tortoises and two yellow-footed tortoises. These tortoises, classified as second-class rare species under CITES, arrived in Singapore on May 27, Yeh said.
CENTENNIAL
Mickey Mouse event set
The Republic of China (ROC) centennial will be honored at Disneyland on July 3, event organizers say. The celebration is being organized by an ROC expatriate group in the US. The chief organizer, Rick Chiu (邱啟宜), said the event would include a cowboy-themed banquet, a parade and a fireworks display. Famous Disney cartoon characters such as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck would also be on hand to pose for photographs with visitors. Chiu said he hoped Taiwanese visitors would bring non-Taiwanese friends to the California park to celebrate the 100th birthday of the ROC.
FISHERIES
Taiwanese captain freed
A Taiwanese captain who was detained by Japanese authorities for illegally fishing within Japan’s exclusive economic zone on Monday was released on Tuesday after paying a fine. Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries officials arrested Chou Huang Ko-sheng (周黃可勝), 46, and six crewmembers after finding the longline boat Hai Hung No. 119 inside Japan’s exclusive economic zone without permission and fishing illegally. The boat was detained about 343km southeast of the coast of Miyakojima, Okinawa Prefecture. Chou Huang, who acknowledged that he was fishing illegally, paid the fine of nearly ¥4 million (US$49,880). He and his crew were returned to their boat and allowed to sail to international waters.
NEW AGREEMENT: Malaysia approved imports last year after nearly two years of negotiations and inspections to meet quarantine requirements, officials said Up to 3.6 tonnes of pomeloes from Taiwan cleared Malaysian customs on Friday, in the first shipment of Taiwanese pomeloes to Malaysia. Taiwan-grown pomeloes are popular in domestic and overseas markets for their tender and juicy taste, the Ministry of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency said. The fruit is already exported to Japan, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines, it added. The agency began applying for access to the Malaysian market in 2023, compiling data on climate suitability, pests and diseases, and post-harvest handling, while also engaging in nearly two years of negotiations with Malaysian authorities and submitting supplementary
PEAK MONTHS: Data showed that on average 25 to 27 typhoons formed in the Pacific and South China seas annually, with about four forming per month in July and October One of three tropical depressions in the Pacific strengthened into a typhoon yesterday afternoon, while two others are expected to become typhoons by today, Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecaster Lee Ming-hsiang (李名翔) said yesterday. The outer circulation of Tropical Depression No. 20, now Typhoon Mitag, has brought light rain to Hualien, Taitung and areas in the south, Lee said, adding that as of 2pm yesterday, Mitag was moving west-northwest at 16kph, but is not expected to directly affect Taiwan. It was possible that Tropical Depression No. 21 would become a typhoon as soon as last night, he said. It was moving in a
Tigerair Taiwan and China Airlines (CAL) today announced that several international flights were canceled or rescheduled due to Typhoon Ragasa. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) has maintained sea and land warnings for the typhoon. Its storm circle reached the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島) on Taiwan's southern tip at 11am today. Tigerair Taiwan said it canceled Monday's IT551/IT552 Taoyuan-Da Nang, IT606/IT607 Taoyuan-Busan and IT602 Taoyuan-Seoul Incheon flights. Tomorrow, cancelations include IT603 Seoul Incheon-Taoyuan, as well as flights between Taoyuan and Sapporo, Osaka, Tokyo Narita, Okinawa, Fukuoka, Saga, Tokyo Haneda, Nagoya, Asahikawa and Jeju. On Wednesday, the IT321/IT322 Kaohsiung-Macau round-trip would also be canceled. CAL announced that today's
About nine Taiwanese are “disappeared,” detained, or otherwise deprived of freedom of movement in China each month, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday. Between Jan. 1 last year and Aug. 31 this year, 188 Taiwanese travelers went missing, were detained and interrogated, or had their personal freedom restricted, with some questioned in airports or hotel lobbies, the council said. In a statement ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the council urged people visiting China for any reason to be highly vigilant and aware of the risks. Of the reported cases, 50 people were “disappeared” after entering China, 19 were detained and 119 had