New Taoyuan International Airport Corp (TIAC) chairman Tseng Dar-jen (曾大仁) yesterday pledged that flooding or power failure would not reoccur at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.
The appointments of Tseng and new TIAC president Hsiao Ting-ko (蕭登科) were passed yesterday morning at a board of directors meeting. Tseng and Hsiao took office immediately after their appointments were approved.
Former TIAC chairman Samuel Lin (林鵬良) and former TIAC president David Fei (費鴻鈞) stepped down after flooding on Thursday last week severely disrupted operations at the airport, causing a financial loss of about NT$50 million (US$1.55 million).
Photo: Lu Chun-wei, Taipei Times
Tseng said his new role would be a challenging one, but his background in civil engineering would help him re-evaluate airport facilities that are under construction, and the maintenance and management of the facilities in use.
Tseng said people are understandably upset about the flooding at the airport, adding that similar incidents would not happen again. He said he would ensure the re-examination and maintenance of the drainage system in the airport and share information on surrounding rivers with the Taoyuan City Government.
Tseng said he would make sure no flooding or power failure occurs inside the airport’s terminals, even during severe weather conditions, adding that the airport would be prepared to deal with natural disasters, including through the use of sandbags and water pumps.
Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times
The TIAC would invite experts to identify risks that the airport might encounter, including those brought by climate change, increase in passengers numbers and construction work, Tseng added.
Commenting on the division of labor between him and Hsiao, Tseng said that they would discuss relevant issues, adding that Hsiao’s expertise lies in airport and aviation business management.
In the related news, Minister of Transportation and Communications Hochen Tan (賀陳旦) yesterday inspected major transport systems, as the nation prepared to observe the four-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday, which begins today.
Apart from facilitating the transportation of homebound travelers, the ministry is set to face another challenge: heavy rainfall brought by the arrival of a southwest monsoon.
Central Weather Bureau weather forecaster Lin Ding-yi (林定宜) said that the rainfall brought by the monsoon would affect many regions in the nation, rather than an isolated area, adding that the monsoon would carry large amount of moisture.
Lin said the monsoon would bring strong winds, adding that the combination of elements could make natural disasters more likely to occur.
The nation is to be under the influence of the monsoon from tomorrow to Saturday, Lin said.
Weather Forecast Center director Cheng Ming-dean (鄭明典) said heavy precipitation caused by the monsoon might lead to a rapid accumulation of rainfall in a short period of time, which is what happened at the airport on Thursday last week.
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