Agricultural losses topped NT$500 million (US$16.7 million) as of yesterday, after several parts of Taiwan suffered days of torrential rain, according to government statistics released yesterday.
As of 10am, agricultural losses were estimated at NT$503.66 million, after heavy downpours that started on June 10 brought flooding to northern, central and southern parts of the country, Council of Agriculture tallies showed.
Produce losses accounted for the majority of the damage, with rice the worst-hit, totaling NT$114.87 million. Losses resulting from inundated farmland came next, totaling NT$91.21 million, with Nantou County in central Taiwan suffering the greatest damage.
Photo: Lo Hsin-chen, Taipei Times
Aquaculture sector losses were also severe, amounting to NT$82.32 million, with oyster beds in the southern county of Chiayi suffering most heavily.
The council announced that as of 11am, all rivers that had been placed on red alert were no longer at high risk.
The council also cut the number of rivers it had placed on yellow alert to 234, most of which were located in six cities and counties — Greater Taichung and Nantou County in central Taiwan, Chiayi and Pingtung counties and Greater Kaohsiung in the south, and Taitung County in the east.
In related news, Minister of the Interior Lee Hong-yuan (李鴻源) said that from June 18, maps will be available online that will show people where to seek shelter and assistance in the event of a natural disaster.
The maps, which will be posted on the National Fire Agency Web site, show the areas of Taiwan at high risk of earthquakes, mudslides and other geological disasters.
Developed by the ministry last year, they also pinpoint the locations of shelters and routes to them, to help people evacuate and get to safety, Lee added.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost