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PRESS RELEASE
Central Emergency Operations Center
August 16, 2008
CEOC reports on latest progress in restoration of public road system
The Central Emergency Operations Center (CEOC) held a briefing on
August 16 on the latest progress in transportation recovery and disaster
relief operations. According to Mao Chi-kuo, Commander of the CEOC
and Minister of Transportation and Communications (MOTC), Typhoon
Morakot has caused such severe landslides and damages to roads and
bridges that it has matched the massive Jiji Earthquake of September 21,
1999, bringing record damages to the island.
With regards to the urgent work of restoring transportation, the MOTC
has joined forces with the Ministry of National Defense to allocate heavy
equipment and machinery to disaster areas, and to repair and reconnect
damaged roads. The operation has been making good progress and
coordination between the two agencies has been smooth.
MOTC’s data show the road sections most urgently needing repairs
currently include the Alishan stretch of Provincial Highway 18 in Chiayi
County; the Chishan-Namasia stretch of Prov. Hwy. 21 in Kaohsiung
County; Prov. Hwy. 27A, the Liugui-Taoyuan stretch and the
Maolin-Duona stretch of Prov. Hwy. 20 in Kaohsiung County; Prov. Hwy.
21 and the Tonfu-Dongpu-Tataka stretch of Prov. Hwy. 18 in Nantou
County; the Lidao-Wulu stretch of Prov. Hwy. 20 in Taitung County; and
the Sandimen-Wutai stretch of Prov. Hwy. 24 in Pingtung County.
According to Minister Mao, in the past when a typhoon struck the island,
the MOTC would usually attempt to clear out most roads within two
weeks after the typhoon before carrying out repairing work. However, as
the severity of damages caused by Typhoon Morakot is unprecedented,
some roads cannot be cleared out by August 25.
The minister also discussed preparations for reopening schools in the
hardest hit areas. According surveys conducted by the Ministry of
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Education (MOE), 31 elementary and high schools in these areas will not
be able to reopen classes at their current campuses on time. The MOE
will help these schools steadily recover from the effects of the disaster so
that all students can go back to school on the first day of classes.
As for those victims who have already received compensation subsidies
and need a place to deposit their cash, the MOTC has dispatched postal
service mobiles that offer deposit services. Also, post offices everywhere
have been asked to accept temporary identity certificates from victims
who need to make deposits but have lost their ROC ID cards.
Because time is critical in rescue and relief operations, Mao called for
citizens not involved in relief efforts to avoid entering disaster areas, so
as not to disrupt the rescue work. Meanwhile, the appropriate government
agencies will control the traffic at each road section.
The CEOC also announced the latest figures on relief work, including
those from the National Rescue Command Center, which on August 15
airlifted 1,440 people and delivering 45,369 kilograms of supplies in
Nantou, Chiayi, Pingtung, Kaohsiung and Taitung counties. The military
plans to dispatch 41,591 personnel, 62 helicopters, 531 vehicles and four
vessels on August 16 for rescue missions. Efforts will focus on Pingtung,
Kaohsiung, Taitung and Chiayi counties.
For its part, the Ministry of National Defense has stated that it is now
employing a new approach to rescue work, as the number of people
requiring help has gradually fallen. Members of the special forces have
set up communications stations at 50 locations. The flexibility this
provides allows the military to conduct searches over a greater area,
which will be of value in planning later moves and means that all persons
in need can be reached by searchers.
The CEOC also held a ceremony to accept aid items sent by the
Australian government. Supplies airlifted to Taiwan include 200,000
water purification tablets, 5,040 buckets for treating water and 100
sanitizer spray packs. The items were presented to Minister Mao by
Australia Commerce and Industry Office in Taipei Representative Alice
Cawte.