Taiwan PM Inspects Flood Defenses as Typhoon Rosemary Approaches

Premier Cho Jung-tai personally visited the Central Emergency Operation Center today to oversee preparations and issue comprehensive flood-control and disaster-readiness directives as Typhoon Jebi approaches Taiwan. With weather forecasts indicating that the typhoon's strength should not be underestimated, the Central Weather Administration continues to closely monitor its movement and potential impact on Taiwan. During the inspection, Cho emphasized that in the face of extreme weather and unpredictability brought about by climate change, both the central and local governments must remain highly vigilant and must not lower their guard. He specifically called on all local governments to demonstrate a high degree of initiative and foresight by upgrading the operational tiers of their local disaster response centers early, depending on wind and rain conditions, to ensure that all disaster prevention and rescue resources and personnel are in place at the very first moment, thereby building an airtight protection network.

In addition to setting specific requirements for governments at all levels, Cho also issued a sincere appeal to the general public through the media, urging citizens to heighten their safety awareness during the typhoon and make thorough home typhoon preparations in advance. He specifically noted that while typhoon warnings are in effect or wind and rainfall are significantly intensifying, citizens must absolutely refrain from going to mountainous areas, rivers, or the coast to engage in high-risk water and outdoor activities such as hiking, river tracing, wave-watching, and fishing. Past disaster prevention and rescue experience has shown that citizens frequently put themselves in danger due to a pursuit of thrills or momentary negligence, not only placing themselves in perilous situations but also wasting valuable search-and-rescue resources, and often putting frontline police, firefighters, and rescue personnel in jeopardy. Therefore, the executive team reiterated the principle that disaster prevention takes precedence over disaster relief, and hopes the public will cooperate with government control measures.

Looking back at Taiwan's history of typhoon prevention, whenever a strong or moderate typhoon approaches, mountainous areas are frequently prone to debris flows, landslides, or road disruptions due to sudden torrential downpours, while coastal regions are susceptible to huge waves and storm surges. The establishment of the Central Emergency Operation Center aims to integrate the forces of multiple ministries and agencies—including the National Fire Agency of the Ministry of the Interior, the Directorate General of Highways of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the Ministry of National Defense, and the Water Resources Agency of the Ministry of Economic Affairs—through cross-ministerial horizontal communication and information sharing to grasp disaster situations and handle them properly at the earliest possible time. Cho's inspection today not only demonstrates the Executive Yuan's emphasis on typhoon preparedness but also ensures seamless coordination between central ministries and local governments, minimizing potential losses of life and property caused by the typhoon.

In actual disaster prevention and rescue operations, local governments play a crucial frontline role. Cho specifically requested that local leaders and response teams inventory flood-prone areas, potential debris-flow torrents, and high-risk areas prone to the isolated-island effect in advance, based on the geographical characteristics and past disaster-prevention experience of their respective jurisdictions. When necessary, they should decisively execute preventive evacuations and sheltering operations, particularly establishing comprehensive evacuation registration and medical evacuation mechanisms for vulnerable populations such as pregnant women, the elderly, and chronic disease patients. This comprehensive state of preparedness, activated from the central to local levels, reflects the standard operating procedures and resilience that Taiwan has continuously accumulated and refined in the face of frequent natural disasters over the years.

As climate change intensifies, the paths and intensities of typhoons are frequently fraught with variables, and the threat they pose to the island of Taiwan is becoming increasingly severe. The Executive Yuan urged the public not to harbor any complacent mindset, but to closely monitor the latest typhoon movements and warning information issued by the Central Weather Administration, and to check whether their home doors, windows, drainage ditches, and disaster prevention supplies are fully prepared. Various government departments will also stand firm at their posts and maintain comprehensive vigilance to respond at any time to potential sudden disasters. Only through the close cooperation of central and local governments, coupled with a high degree of disaster-prevention awareness and cooperation among all citizens, can Taiwan's social security and homeland integrity be jointly safeguarded under the challenge of Typhoon Jebi.