The government is aiming for NT$20 billion (US$657.57 million) to support disaster recovery and reconstruction following flooding in Hualien County, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday.
“I hope that the caucuses across the Legislative Yuan would quickly support the proposal,” Cho said.
The new funding — to be added to a special bill to deliver aid following a typhoon and flooding in central Taiwan in July — would fund rebuilding in Hualien, where rain from Super Typhoon Ragasa caused a barrier lake on the Mataian River (馬太鞍溪) to breach, flooding Guangfu Township (光復).
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
The death toll from Ragasa is 18, while six people are missing and 139 were injured, the Central Emergency Operations Center said yesterday.
The funds would not replace aid for areas already affected by Typhoon Danas, which made landfall on the central west coast of Taiwan at the beginning of July, Cho said.
Executive Yuan spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) said that the proposed additions to the special bill designate all of Hualien County as a disaster area.
The government would continue to focus on rescue and restoration efforts, with a multiphase plan aimed at saving lives, aiding reconstruction, removing mud and debris, and restoring local transportation in Hualien, Cho said.
Families of those killed would receive NT$1 million, while those seriously injured would receive NT$250,000, he said.
The government would provide aid of NT$50,000 to NT$100,000 per household, with an additional NT$50,000 subsidy to help remove mud and debris, he added.
Taiwan Power Co (台電) and Taiwan Water Corp (台灣自來水) would waive electricity and water bills for last month and this month for households affected by the flooding in Guangfu, he said.
The government is also planning rent subsidies, temporary lodging, agricultural disaster relief, and assistance for businesses, he said.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare is providing medical treatment and prescription refills without a National Health Insurance card, medicine delivery, a three-month waiver of co-payments and a six-month waiver of health insurance premiums, he said.
Twenty-five measures with a budget of NT$2.5 billion are in the central government’s plan for the additions to the special act, targeting indigenous people, farmers, businesses and others affected in Hualien, the Cabinet said.
Public Construction Commission Chairman Derek Chen (陳金德), who heads the disaster relief and reconstruction efforts following Typhoon Danas, is to lead a cross-departmental team to the worst-hit areas in Hualien to set up a one-stop service platform on Tuesday next week, it said.
The platform would accept applications for financial aid, promote the relief measures and provide consultations for applicants, it said.
The Executive Yuan on Aug. 7 approved a draft of the special bill and the Legislative Yuan passed it on Aug. 15, increasing the maximum budget to NT$60 billion from NT$56 billion.
The Executive Yuan passed a special budgetary bill on Aug. 21 — covering regions in Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung and Chiayi cities, as well as Chiayi, Pingtung, Changhua, Yunlin and Nantou counties affected by severe weather in July — and the Legislative Yuan authorized the full NT$60 billion in a third reading on Aug. 29.
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