Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) yesterday said he would stay in close contact with the city government and its emergency response center about tropical storms in the region while on an 11-day trip to the US.
Chiang, who was last night scheduled to depart on a trip to New York, Boston and Philadelphia, yesterday morning attended a preparation meeting at the Taipei Emergency Response Center to discuss the possible effects of Typhoon Yagi and other tropical depressions on Taipei.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecast that Yagi is unlikely to directly affect Taiwan, but tropical depressions might form this week and next week, so Taipei should stay alert, Chiang said.
Photo: Liang Cheng-hui, Taipei Times
The city government reviews disaster relief operations after every typhoon to improve efficiency in disasters, he said.
As the Taipei Public Works Department’s Parks and Street Lights Office has assessed areas prone to falling trees, he has asked the department to take precautionary measures as soon as possible, he said.
He said he has also asked the department to continue improvement construction projects in low-lying areas that prone to flooding, especially in Xinyi District (信義), while the Taipei Department of Environmental Protection must continue its sewer dredging operations.
Asked by reporters if he would immediately return to Taiwan if a typhoon hits Taipei, as Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) did when Typhoon Gaemi swept over Taiwan in late July, Chiang said: “We will respond immediately.”
He said he would keep close contact with the city government and the emergency response center during his trip to the US and immediately respond should an emergency situation arise.
Meanwhile, after being questioned by prosecutors, Taipei Urban Planning Commission Executive Secretary Shao Hsiu-pei (邵琇珮) was on Tuesday barred from leaving the country and restricted to her residence over her alleged role in suspected corruption linked to the Core Pacific City redevelopment project.
When asked about Shao taking a leave of absence for a week, Chiang said the city government would cooperate with prosecutors’ investigation, adding that he had adjusted her duties on Tuesday.
Reporters also asked the mayor to comment on Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei City Councilor Yu Shu-hui (游淑慧) saying that the Taipei City Government should halt the Core Pacific City project before the court makes a ruling.
Chiang said that the city government would pay close attention to the case, and if a verdict is confirmed, the government would deal with it according to the law.
He said he has asked the Taipei Department of Urban Planning to prepare contingency plans for possible outcomes.
PEAK MONTHS: Data showed that on average 25 to 27 typhoons formed in the Pacific and South China seas annually, with about four forming per month in July and October One of three tropical depressions in the Pacific strengthened into a typhoon yesterday afternoon, while two others are expected to become typhoons by today, Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecaster Lee Ming-hsiang (李名翔) said yesterday. The outer circulation of Tropical Depression No. 20, now Typhoon Mitag, has brought light rain to Hualien, Taitung and areas in the south, Lee said, adding that as of 2pm yesterday, Mitag was moving west-northwest at 16kph, but is not expected to directly affect Taiwan. It was possible that Tropical Depression No. 21 would become a typhoon as soon as last night, he said. It was moving in a
A Taiwanese academic yesterday said that Chinese Ambassador to Denmark Wang Xuefeng (王雪峰) disrespected Denmark and Japan when he earlier this year allegedly asked Japan’s embassy to make Taiwan’s representatives leave an event in Copenhagen. The Danish-language Berlingske on Sunday reported the incident in an article with the headline “The emperor’s birthday ended in drama in Copenhagen: More conflict may be on the way between Denmark and China.” It said that on Feb. 26, the Japanese embassy in Denmark held an event for Japanese Emperor Naruhito’s birthday, with about 200 guests in attendance, including representatives from Taiwan. After addressing the Japanese hosts, Wang
One of two tropical depressions that formed offshore this morning could turn into a moderate typhoon by the weekend, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. Tropical Depression No. 21 formed at 8am about 1,850km off the southeast coast, CWA forecaster Lee Meng-hsuan (李孟軒) said. It is expected to move in a northwesterly direction as it continues building momentum, possibly intensifying into Typhoon Mitag this weekend, she added. The radius of the storm is expected to reach almost 200km, she said. It is expected to approach southeast of Taiwan on Monday and pass through the Bashi Channel between Tuesday and Wednesday,
About nine Taiwanese are “disappeared,” detained, or otherwise deprived of freedom of movement in China each month, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday. Between Jan. 1 last year and Aug. 31 this year, 188 Taiwanese travelers went missing, were detained and interrogated, or had their personal freedom restricted, with some questioned in airports or hotel lobbies, the council said. In a statement ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the council urged people visiting China for any reason to be highly vigilant and aware of the risks. Of the reported cases, 50 people were “disappeared” after entering China, 19 were detained and 119 had
RSS