Nantou County Commissioner Peng Pai-hsien
Recent landslides and mudflows caused by heavy rain are far beyond his government's capacity to handle alone, Peng said.
"In particular the management of mountain and flood areas and the clean-up of streams should be considered national policy objectives," said Peng, adding that mudflows in these areas are responsible for most of the recent fatalities.
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
Experts have warned that aftershocks from last year's 921 earthquake would make areas in Nantou prone to landslides over the next three years.
To combat the problem, the county government has organized 38 emergency rescue teams, but the teams lacked the resources to handle the recent disasters, Peng said.
Mudflows this week left two dead on Wednesday and scores of homes have been buried. Over 100 households have been relocated from areas in immediate danger of further mudslides.
Of the 13 townships in Nantou County, all but the capital Nantou City are threatened by mudflows and landslides. Forty-two villages and 181 streams have been officially identified as mudflow and landslide danger areas.
The Nantou County government has allocated only 1 percent of its budget for disaster management, or around NT$100 million. "Dealing with one stream alone costs tens of millions of NT dollars," Peng said, highlighting the budget's inability to handle the latest round of disasters.
Nantou is Taiwan's only landlocked county. The mountainous region derives most of its revenue from agriculture and the thousands of tourists who come to enjoy the area's picturesque scenery.
But the county's mountain slopes, rendered unstable by the 921 quake, have terrorized residents over the past several months, as aftershocks, landslides and mudflows have blocked roads, cut power lines and caused a number of fatalities.
The string of disasters has kept tourists away from the region, depriving it of a large portion of its income.
Mudflows on highway No. 149 two days ago sent a wall of mud and debris 2m deep and 20m wide into the Chingshui Stream
Ta-an District
Roads to the district, which the 921 earthquake narrowed from 8m to 2m in some parts, are now being further damaged by new landslides.
Ta-an's main products are tea and bamboo shoots, which make up two thirds of Chushan township's agriculture income. But inaccessible roads will make delivery of the crops impossible. Rescue chief in Nantou County, Chen Hsing-jye
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