Coast Guard Warns of Strict Penalties for Storm Chasers Amid Typhoon

As Typhoon Goni approaches the waters surrounding Taiwan, the Coast Guard Administration of the Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (CGA) stated today that it will adopt the strictest enforcement stance against any individuals who disregard bans during typhoon warnings and deliberately enter danger zones designated by local governments to watch waves or swim. The CGA noted that such violations not only pose a severe threat to the individuals' own lives but also significantly increase the risks and burden on frontline search and rescue personnel under adverse weather and sea conditions. Consequently, in addition to conducting strong on-site persuasion and enforcement, the Coast Guard is specifically calling on local governments to ensure the implementation of subsequent penalty procedures once they receive reports and violation notices, thereby establishing a comprehensive defense line.

Under current disaster prevention and rescue regulations, when the Central Weather Bureau issues a typhoon warning for the sea or land, or when local governments officially designate specific coastal areas, ports, or rivers as restricted warning zones and prohibit entry based on local weather and sea conditions, any unauthorized entry or lingering to watch waves constitutes a violation of the law. In its statement today, the CGA emphasized that in response to the potential threats posed by Typhoon Goni, all coast patrol units and officers have been mobilized to strengthen patrols and watch duties at major wave-watching hotspots, ports, and along the coastline. Upon discovering any individuals violating the rules by entering warning zones, enforcement officers will issue violation notices on the spot in accordance with the Disaster Prevention and Rescue Act and transfer the relevant evidence to the respective local governments for subsequent administrative penalties, demonstrating the government's resolve to maintain public safety.

Based on years of typhoon defense experience, coastlines often experience abnormal long waves, strong gusts, and storm surges during the approach of a typhoon. These natural phenomena change rapidly and possess astonishing power, far exceeding the ability of the average person to predict or react to them with the naked eye. Each time a typhoon strikes, despite strong warnings from meteorological departments and the media, some people, driven by a sense of luck or the desire for thrills and spectacular footage, head to the seaside to watch the waves. This behavior not only exposes them to an extremely high risk of falling into the sea and suffering injury or death. More concerning is that once individuals fall into the water, search and rescue units, including the CGA, the Fire Department, and the Air Rescue Unit, must deploy large numbers of personnel and equipment to conduct maritime and aerial searches in fierce winds and huge waves. This not only consumes massive social resources but also places the rescue personnel themselves in perilous situations.

To effectively curb this persistent trend of illegal wave-watching, the CGA has continuously strengthened horizontal coordination and communication mechanisms with local governments in recent years. In past practical operations, while Coast Guard personnel could immediately persuade individuals to leave or issue violation notices, the subsequent imposition of fines often required the legal or competent authorities of local governments to take over the process. Therefore, at this critical moment as Typhoon Goni approaches, the CGA has specifically called on local governments to demonstrate the power of public authority and ensure the implementation of the penalty mechanism. Only by combining strict frontline enforcement with high-level penalties at the backend can the cost of violations be raised, achieving a true deterrent effect and alerting the public to stop treating their own lives as a game.

In summary, in the face of increasingly frequent and powerful extreme climate threats, a robust disaster prevention system relies not only on the accuracy of weather forecasts and the response capabilities of government departments, but also on the high level of legal awareness and self-protection consciousness of all citizens. Staying away from the seaside during typhoons and complying with government disaster prevention controls is not only an act of responsibility toward oneself and one's family, but also the greatest respect for the military, police, fire, and Coast Guard personnel working hard on the front lines. The CGA reiterated that during the period of Typhoon Goni's impact, it will show no compromise in enforcing bans on illegal wave-watching, and it hopes that the public will share the burden of the difficult times and collectively weather the test of every typhoon.

(Source: Central News Agency)