Government officials convened at the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) today to hear the latest weather analysis and begin response preparations for a new tropical depression that formed east of the Philippines on Tuesday.
The meeting, which was ordered by Premier Jiang Yi-huah, was led by Executive Yuan Deputy Secretary-General Chien Tai-lang and attended by representatives from the Executive Yuan Office of Disaster Management, Ministry of the Interior (MOI), Ministry of Economic Affairs, Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC), Council of Agriculture (COA), and National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction.
If the depression develops into a tropical storm, it will become the year's eighth (Cimaron) and the CWB will immediately issue a land or sea warning. In this event, Chien said, central government agencies should make sure local authorities begin to dredge sewers and rivers, shore up dams and reservoirs, secure construction sites, and protect vulnerable roads and bridges. Additionally, supplies and equipment that were used up in preparation for Typhoon Soulik last week should be replenished, and central authorities will assist where needed. Levee breaches and gaps as well as damaged roads and bridges should be repaired as early as possible, but without putting crews in harm's way.
With the storm system expected to cross the Bashi Channel south of Taiwan, the COA will ask fishery radio stations to advise all fishing vessels to return to port. The COA will also help farmers as they make typhoon preparations and put crops into storage. The MOI will check that disaster announcement systems are working smoothly; with the storm expected to affect Taiwan in the coming days, it will be important to close roads to mountains and advise people to leave the area. The MOTC will post advance notices of ferry suspensions to offshore islands, and if necessary, urge people to leave the islands earlier.
The Executive Yuan directed the CWB to continue monitoring the tropical depression and to keep disaster response agencies and the public apprised of the latest developments. The public is again reminded to stay cautious when going outdoors and most importantly follow local officials' evacuation and road closing orders.