Draft legislation to classify high temperatures as hazardous weather, and allow local governments to suspend school and work on extremely hot days, is expected to be announced later this month, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday.
The agency attended a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Transportation Committee to discuss the proposed amendment to the Meteorological Act (氣象法). Legislators have also proposed a version that classifies high temperatures as hazardous weather.
The Executive Yuan has yet to propose its version, as the CWA needs to submit a final version to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications before it is sent to the Cabinet.
Photo: Chen Yi-kuan, Taipei Times
The agency is working on a new draft, after the ministry sent the first one back for revisions.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hung Meng-kai (洪孟楷) said that if the bill cannot be proposed this legislative session, guidelines must be established for next summer.
CWA Administrator Lu Kuo-cheng (呂國臣) said that Taiwan’s temperatures have continued to rise, with Yushan (玉山) posting record highs this year and Taipei having more than 70 days hotter than 35°C.
Work and school need not be suspended for the full day on extremely hot days, Lu said.
Standards for suspension could vary, as indoor and outdoor workers, as well as farmers and students have different needs, he said.
The agency also suggested that tropical depressions be classified as hazardous weather, as they have caused disasters over the past few years, such as severe flooding in southern Taiwan on Aug. 23, 2018.
Legislators suggested that typhoon days be decided uniformly by the CWA, taking the pressure of decisionmaking off local governments, as it is largely based on CWA data.
Typhoon days used to be determined by the central government, but are now decided by city and county governments.
Typhoon days are not based solely on wind and rainfall forecasts, Lu said.
Several factors, such as living conditions, water, electricity and environment must also be considered, Lu said..
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