Tropical Storm Fung-wong Hits Taiwan’s East Coast
REPORTER:
Within 20 minutes of making landfall in Taiwan, Tropical Storm Fung-wong weakened into a tropical depression. But for the east coast, battered by days of heavy rain from the storm, this was little consolation.
Intense flooding has meant restless nights for some in places like Yilan County.
Ms. Chou (RESIDENT OF DAMAGED BUILDING):
I don’t dare sleep. I’m afraid the water will rush in again. The water came on suddenly. If you fell down, you’d have been swept away. Would you dare to sleep?
REPORTER:
Weather stations in parts of Yilan County recorded around a meter of rainfall in all—the second-highest from a tropical cyclone the region’s ever seen. The water pumps meant for flooding like this just couldn’t keep up.
Mr. Lin (PUMPING STATION STAFF):
Our pumping stations can only handle a set volume of water so when water comes rushing down from the mountaintops suddenly we can’t pump it all out.
REPORTER:
Here, amid widespread flooding, one local nurse was filmed using a makeshift raft to get to work—and there were people in need of medical attention. The government’s recorded dozens of injuries from the storm.
The damage goes beyond flooded buildings and damaged infrastructure. Farmers across the east coast have suffered around $360,000 US dollars in losses.
And in Hualien County’s Guangfu Township, a natural dam blocking up a local river burst, sending water toward villages downstream. In September, another storm caused the same thing to happen, sending a deadly rush of floodwater into residential areas.
Elsewhere, as the damage is assessed, there are still piles of muck and stones to clear out, as the last of this storm passes and the floodwaters begin to recede.
Devin Tsai and John Van Trieste for TaiwanPlus.
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