An earthquake combined with heavy rain caused damage to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport yesterday as water leaked from the ceilings and formed puddles in one lobby area, a passenger waiting area and several other places.
According to an airport official, the magnitude 5.9 tremor yesterday morning in Hualien County caused damage to the ceilings, which allowed rain to leak through and pool on the ground-floor level.
The steady precipitation meant a lot of water accumulated inside the terminals, and workers were seen placing buckets to collect water leaking from the roof.
“At one place, workers discovered that some ceiling panels were water logged so they removed the panels to prevent them from falling down and injuring anyone,” the officials said. “When the rain stops, we will dispatch repair crews to check the damage to the ceiling.”
The episode was the latest in an unceasing tale of woe for Taiwan’s largest airport and main international gateway.
A steady stream of water-related incidents has occurred at the airport in recent weeks, mostly on rainy days, including flooding in a basement, roof leaks at main terminal buildings and a burst bathroom pipe.
Water was also reported at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport).
Witnesses said water was dripping on waiting passengers in the main waiting area on Tuesday morning and workers used buckets to catch the leaks.
However, an unnamed official at Songshan airport said the reports were “a misunderstanding,” adding that the main building’s structure is sound.
“The water dripping down is due to condensation. We turned on the air conditioning in the morning and the temperature difference between the air inside and outside led to condensation on the ceiling. It was not a leak from the rain,” the Songshan official said.
Meanwhile, the heavy rain provided unusual entertainment for those fond of watching aircraft landing at Taoyuan airport yesterday.
Large pools of water accumulated on the runways and when airplanes touched down, they sprayed water about 10m into the air.
Some people said it was quite a treat, as such scenes are rarely seen at Taiwan’s major airports.
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