Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) yesterday urged swift legislative review of the central government’s general budget after torrential rain hit Miaoli County, causing muddy floodwaters to cascade into homes.
Cho issued the call through a post on Facebook after areas in Miaoli and Hsinchu reported disruptions due to torrential rain.
Miaoli County Commissioner Chung Tung-chin (鍾東錦) said areas around the Tongsiao Power Plant were flooded, while the flooding in Houlong Township (後龍) had reached car tire height.
Photo: Taipei Times
Roads near the Carrefour outlet in Miaoli City and an underpass were closed, forcing people to use alternative routes, he said, adding that several roads in the mountainous Nanjhuang Township (南庄) were also closed due to flooding.
The county has opened a level-three emergency response center by integrating available resources, Chung said.
In Hsinchu County, more than 10 residents in mountainous Beipu (北埔) and Emei (峨眉) townships trapped by rising flood water were rescued by firefighters, Hsinchu County Commissioner Yang Wen-ke (楊文科) said.
Photo: Screen grab from Tseng’s Facebook page
Heavy rain also resulted in flooding, fallen trees and landslides in several mountainous locations across the county, with roads in Wufeng (五峰), Jianshi (尖石) and Beipu townships closed to the public, he said.
The Hsinchu City Government has also opened a level-three emergency response center to handle the aftermath of the flooding, after rainfall reached up to 50.5mm per hour and caused severe flooding in the city.
As of 8am, the city had received four disaster reports: two cases involving flooding in private homes, one about a flooded underpass and another concerning a fallen tree.
Photo: CNA
The flooding in the two private homes and the underpass has been cleared.
Cho said that torrential rain has caused severe flooding in Miaoli and other areas, with mudflows pouring into many homes, vehicles stalling and traffic disrupted.
He said he has instructed central government agencies to closely monitor disaster conditions across all regions, report immediately and provide timely support to local governments, adding that public safety was the top priority.
“Facing extreme climate is already a major challenge, but the greatest challenge is that, despite repeated appeals and requests from the Executive Yuan, the Legislative Yuan has still failed to pass this year’s general budget before the arrival of the flood season,” he said.
Extreme weather is posing mounting challenges for Taiwan, compounded by ongoing instability in the Middle East, he added.
From stabilizing prices and ensuring steady supplies of daily necessities to bolstering disaster response capabilities, all depend on adequate budget support, Cho said.
“However, with the annual general budget still pending final passage, disaster relief funds and secondary reserve funds remain inaccessible — undermining the government’s ability to respond swiftly to emergencies,” he said.
For this year’s general budget, the central government has allocated NT$2.8623 trillion (US$89.53 billion) in revenue and NT$3.35 trillion in expenditures.
Opposition lawmakers have blocked review of the budget, citing dissatisfaction with the Executive Yuan’s failure to include funds to raise military pay, and police and firefighter pensions, as well as the Cabinet’s refusal to countersign bills passed by the Legislative Yuan.
The general budget was submitted for review at the end of August last year, but has not been sent to legislative committees for review.
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