Typhoon Chan-hom approaches as Taiwan braces for heavy rain and holiday traffic

As Moderate Typhoon Champi, the 20th typhoon of the year, continues to move northwestward, the Central Weather Administration is closely monitoring its movement and the potential impact it may have on Taiwan's weather. To prepare for the ensuing strong winds and heavy rainfall, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang personally chaired a national typhoon preparedness and response meeting today, convening various central ministries and local governments to jointly review anti-typhoon response measures. She explicitly pointed out during the meeting that, based on current meteorological data, the period when Typhoon Champi will have the most significant impact on Taiwan will fall between the 23rd and the morning of the 24th in the coming days. All relevant units must remain on high alert and implement various preventive preparedness tasks to ensure the safety of citizens' lives and property.

The convening of this typhoon preparedness meeting highlights the central government's high regard for flood and disaster prevention work. During the meeting, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang listened to disaster forecasts and preparedness reports from relevant units, including the Central Weather Administration, the Water Resources Agency of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, and the Rural Development and Soil and Water Conservation Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture. Given the unpredictable nature of the typhoon's track and structure, Liu specifically reminded all levels of government not to lower their guard. Particularly concerning potential debris flow torrents in mountainous areas, low-lying coastal areas, and flood-prone spots, emergency rescue equipment and flood-prevention sandbags should be deployed in advance. Meanwhile, local disaster response centers must also be prepared to open at any time to ensure they can grasp disaster conditions at the earliest moment and swiftly execute response measures to mitigate potential impacts from the disaster.

Notably, because the period of the typhoon's impact coincides with a specific domestic long holiday, citizens' travel arrangements, tourism, and homecoming crowds will inevitably be affected. Liu Shyh-fang gave specific instructions regarding transportation during the meeting, stating that if local governments legally announce the suspension of work and classes on the 23rd based on wind and rain forecast data, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications and related transportation business units must plan emergency response and transport-capacity-adjustment measures early, taking into account the massive transportation and travel demand during the holiday. This includes providing timely and transparent external announcements regarding schedule changes for railways, highways, maritime transport, and flights, as well as pre-planning alternative transportation schemes to prevent large numbers of passengers from being stranded at stations or airports, thereby ensuring traffic order and public travel safety during the long holiday.

Facing the approaching test of wind and rain, the Ministry of the Interior also used this meeting to call upon all citizens to complete autonomous typhoon preparations before the typhoon affects Taiwan. Residents should proactively clear drainage ditches around their homes to prevent falling leaves and debris from causing blockages and subsequent flooding. At the same time, they should check whether potted plants, billboards, or hanging objects on balconies are securely fixed to prevent them from being blown down by strong winds, which could cause personal injury or property damage. Furthermore, during the period when the typhoon's impact is most severe—from the 23rd to the morning of the 24th—citizens should avoid going to mountainous areas, riverbanks, and seashores for outdoor activities such as wave-watching, fishing, or mountain climbing, and should cooperate with various government preventive evacuation and control measures to safeguard their personal safety.

Viewed from the perspective of the overall disaster prevention system, Taiwan has long established a complete disaster prevention and response mechanism covering both central and local levels to deal with typhoons and torrential rains that frequently strike during the summer and autumn months. However, extreme weather patterns driven by climate change often make every typhoon threat full of variables. The approach of Typhoon Champi during a long holiday not only tests the preparation efficiency of all levels of government regarding disaster prevention and relief hardware facilities, but also brings comprehensive challenges in transportation dispatching, information transmission, and public disaster response concepts. Only through the horizontal coordination of central ministries, the diligent execution of local governments, and a high level of disaster prevention awareness among all citizens can losses and damage be minimized in every test posed by natural disasters.

(Source: Central News Agency)