Cablegate: Typhoon Haitang Slams Taiwan

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 003073

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE PLEASE PASS TO AIT/W AND EAP/RSP/TC

STATE PLEASE ALSO PASS TO USEPA/OIA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMGT SENV ECON KSCA KPAO TW ESTH
SUBJECT: TYPHOON HAITANG SLAMS TAIWAN

REF: TAIPEI 02641

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED

1. (U) Summary. Typhoon Haitang, the largest typhoon to hit
Taiwan in five years, brought strong winds and torrential
rains to Taiwan July 17-19. No part of Taiwan escaped
unscathed with eastern and southern Taiwan suffering the
greatest damage. At least 8 people died, 31 have been
injured and 1 is missing. However, numbers are expected to
rise as the extent of damage in Eastern and Southern Taiwan
is assessed after the rains abate. Due to the typhoon, all
cities throughout Taiwan were closed for work and classes
for at least one day. All rail and most air service were
also halted on the 18th. The storm left over 1.5 million
households without power and about 130,000 households
without water for at least some period of time.
Agricultural losses compounded those incurred during spring
floods in southern Taiwan adding at least another NTD 2.6
billion (USD 81.3 million). The flooding left in the
storm's wake renewed the Democratic Progressive Party's
(DPP) call for a special Legislative Yuan (LY) session to
pass a bill for an eight-year NTD 80 billion (USD 2.5
billion) flood-control project (reftel). Opposition parties
claim the proposal is designed to buy votes rather than stop
floods. End Summary.

Heavy Rain and Landslides
-------------------------

2. (U) Typhoon Haitang, the largest typhoon to hit Taiwan in
five years, brought strong winds and torrential rains to
Taiwan July 17-19. In its wake at least 8 people died, 31
have been injured and 1 is missing. However, numbers are
expected to rise as the extent of damage in Eastern and
Southern Taiwan is assessed after the rains down south
abate. Warnings of landslides, mudslides and flash floods
were issued for areas along 298 streams in Hualien, Ilan,
Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Taichung counties. Several of
the worst hit areas saw well over 1 meter of rainfall.

3. (U) Particularly hard hit were eastern and southern
Taiwan. These areas saw extensive damage to roads and
bridges, destroyed several homes and stranded residents and
travelers in Kenting and Green Island. Kaohsiung Harbor has
experienced serious impact, with a stranded freighter
outside the port and several containers washed overboard
inside the port. Details of damage to these areas Taiwan
will be reported in septel.

4. (U) Heavy rains and winds also severely disrupted air and
ground transportation, with all rail service and most
flights cancelled on July 18. The storm left over 1.5
million households without power and 130,000 households
without water for at least some period of time. By noon on
July 20, while power was restored to most households, 20,346
remained in the dark.

5. (U) The government evacuated many residents (some by
force) in areas at highest risk for mudslides and stepped up
campaigns to discourage people from engaging in high risk
activities such as mountain hiking and staying near the
ocean. These measures have been credited with reducing the
loss of life and damage.

Agricultural and Economic Impact
--------------------------------

6. (U) The Council of Agriculture estimates agricultural
losses at approximately NTD 2.6 billion (USD 81.3 million),
including NTD 2.34 billion (USD 73.1 million) in crops, NTD
7.43 million (USD 232,000) in livestock, NTD 1.32 million
(USD 41,250) in fisheries and NTD 57 million (USD 1.8
million) in forestry. Livestock losses included 62 pigs,
18,000 chickens and 29,000 ducks. Losses in farms and
agricultural facilities and livestock facilities were
estimated at NTD 206 million (USD 6.4 million).
Approximately 34,970 hectares of agricultural land was
damaged. Agricultural officials say those figures will be
revised upwards as the rains are expected to continue in the
south for at least another day.

7. (U) In an effort to ameliorate the impact on prices, the
Council of Agriculture has released some 500 tons of frozen
vegetables and fruits into the market. Some vegetables
prices have increased by as much as 50 percent while others
are experiencing price hikes in the 5-10 percent range.

Flood Controls Put to Test
--------------------------

8. (U) Typhoon Haitang put a new flood control system along
the Keelung River to test. The Yuanshantze water works was
designed to release water to the sea through a system of
tunnels whenever the water level in the river exceeds 63
meters. By all accounts, the system worked as planned and
the cities of Wudu and Sijhih were spared significant
flooding as a result.

Politics
---------

9. (SBU) In response to the new bout of flooding caused by
the typhoon, the DPP has once again called for the
Legislative Yuan (LY) to hold a special session to pass a
bill for an eight-year NTD 80 billion (USD 2.5 billion)
flood-control project (reftel). Opposition parties claim
that it is not necessary to rush to hold an emergency summer
special LY session for the type of long-term planning
required for flood control and prevention. In the words of
one Taiwan Solidarity Union Legislator, "The bill does not
actually propose any specific plan. It simply provides
monies to local DPP strongholds and is designed to buy votes
rather than to prevent flooding." This view was echoed in
an Economic Daily editorial.

Paal

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