The Legislative Yuan today unanimously agreed to fast-track amendments to a special act for rebuilding in the aftermath of extensive flooding last month directly to a second reading.
The draft bill would fund relief efforts after Hualien County’s Mataian River (馬太鞍溪) landslide dam failed on Sept. 23, due to torrential rains brought by Typhoon Ragasa, flooding Guangfu Township (光復) and the surrounding area.
Photo: Wang Chun-chi, Taipei Times
Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) is to convene cross-party negotiations.
The Executive Yuan on Thursday last week approved amendments to a separate recovery plan for Typhoon Danas in southern Taiwan, seeking an additional budget of NT$25 billion (US$813.42 million) for Hualien, increasing the total relief package to NT$85 billion.
The amendments would allow authorities to survey and monitor the barrier lake along the Mataian River, set up a flood-prone area, work on sediment and soil control and relocate affected residents.
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus called on the Cabinet to draft its own version of the bill so that all parties can discuss the best reconstruction plan for disaster victims.
Meanwhile, the central and local governments have been debating who should take responsibility for evacuation efforts, with the Hualien County Government requesting the Executive Yuan to draft and implement a disaster evacuation and sheltering plan.
However, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said today that the responsibility lies with local governments, as written under law.
Legislators and the Hualien County Government cannot pass on the responsibility to the central government or township offices, he said.
Evacuations are to be carried out by the Hualien County Government and three township offices with assistance from the military, Minister of the Interior Liu Shih-fang (劉世芳) said yesterday.
Liu called on the local government to follow up on coordination measures outlined by Minister Without Portfolio Chi Lien-cheng (季連成), the chief coordinator of disaster relief efforts in Hualien County, and clarify details of the current evacuation plan, including protection rosters, so that a new plan can be drafted.
If the local government needs assistance, the Ministry of the Interior would comply under Cho’s directives, he added.
KMT caucus whip and Hualien legislator Fu Kun-chi (傅崐萁) said the blame cannot be put on the local county government, as all typhoon-related evacuation measures are the responsibility of township and district offices.
The National Disaster Relief Center and the Hualien County Government have placed a red alert on Guangfu Township due to an incoming typhoon which remains in place.
The first global hotel Keys Selection by the Michelin Guide includes four hotels in Taiwan, Michelin announced yesterday. All four received the “Michelin One Key,” indicating guests are to experience a “very special stay” at any of the locations as the establishments are “a true gem with personality. Service always goes the extra mile, and the hotel provides much more than others in its price range.” Of the four hotels, three are located in Taipei and one in Taichung. In Taipei, the One Key accolades were awarded to the Capella Taipei, Kimpton Da An Taipei and Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Capella Taipei was described by
The Taichung District Court yesterday confirmed its final ruling that the marriage between teenage heir Lai (賴) and a man surnamed Hsia (夏) was legally invalid, preventing Hsia from inheriting Lai’s NT$500 million (US$16.37 million) estate. The court confirmed that Hsia chose not to appeal the civil judgement after the court handed down its ruling in June, making the decision final. In the June ruling, the court said that Lai, 18, and Hsia, 26, showed “no mutual admiration before the marriage” and that their interactions were “distant and unfamiliar.” The judge concluded that the couple lacked the “true intention of
EVA Airways today confirmed the death of a flight attendant on Saturday upon their return to Taiwan and said an internal investigation has been launched, as criticism mounted over a social media post accusing the airline of failing to offer sufficient employee protections. According to the post, the flight attendant complained of feeling sick on board a flight, but was unable to take sick leave or access medical care. The crew member allegedly did not receive assistance from the chief purser, who failed to heed their requests for medical attention or call an ambulance once the flight landed, the post said. As sick
INDUSTRY: Beijing’s latest export measures go beyond targeting the US and would likely affect any country that uses Chinese rare earths or related tech, an academic said Taiwanese industries could face significant disruption from China’s newly tightened export controls on rare earth elements, as much of Taiwan’s supply indirectly depends on Chinese materials processed in Japan, a local expert said yesterday. Kristy Hsu (徐遵慈), director of the Taiwan ASEAN Studies Center at the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research, said that China’s latest export measures go far beyond targeting the US and would likely affect any country that uses Chinese rare earths or related technologies. With Japan and Southeast Asian countries among those expected to be hit, Taiwan could feel the impact through its reliance on Japanese-made semi-finished products and
RSS