Premier Chang San-cheng today stated that he expects the central and local governments to collaborate to ensure crucial flood-prevention facilities are fully operational in light of the arrival of the flood season in order to mitigate any losses typhoons might incur when they hit Taiwan.
To get a firsthand understanding of the execution of major water projects in northern Taiwan, Chang inspected Ta-Liao-Keng No. 2 Pumping Station in the Xinzhuang District of New Taipei City as well as the Tamsui River Basin Hydrologic Information Center of the Ministry of Economic Affairs' Water Resources Agency (WRA).
Chang said he expects the pumping station, which was completed in 2015 as part of the WRA's Flood-Prone Area Management Plan, to exercise its maximum efficacy. The WRA pointed out that because the densely populated Xinzhuang and Shulin districts are located downstream of Taliaokeng River, they are often flooded during torrential rains and typhoons. The completion of the pumping station has effectively ameliorated 105 hectares of the flood-prone areas, reducing the threat of flooding for approximately 40,000 households.
Chang also inspected the WRA's 10th Water Management Office that oversees the Tamsui River Basin Hydrologic Information Center to gain firsthand knowledge of the center's flood-prevention preparations. The WRA stated that via its hydrologic information monitoring system the center uses meteorology, rainfall gauging, water-level monitoring and closed-circuit television to track the Tamsui River's water conditions, and the center, integrating reservoir operation data, conducts analyses and judgments through a flood-forecasting model.
When an area reaches the flood-warning threshold, emergency rescue teams are deployed or the local government is notified to rapidly evacuate residents. The WRA also sends real-time hydrologic information or flood warnings to relevant units via the Internet or fax.
The WRA pointed out that this year flood prevention will be simultaneously advanced in four major areas: consolidating flood-prevention facilities, implementing flood-prevention management measures, advancing flood-prevention technologies, and conducting flood prevention by all nationals.
The WRA expects self-help and mutual support to enhance communities' autonomous flood-prevention capabilities so as to realize the ideal of flood prevention by all citizens. Flood-prone areas have already set up 336 autonomous flood-prevention communities that are guided and assisted by local governments, and this year another 46 communities will be added.