At 2 p.m. today, Vice Premier Mao Chi-kuo heard reports from various agencies regarding the gas explosions that took place in Kaohsiung City late at night July 31 and the government's response.
The explosions occurred chiefly in Qianzhen (Cianjhen) and Lingya districts. As of the time of the briefings, a total of 83,819 people from 32,968 households had been affected by the accidents; 28 people had died (including four police officers and volunteer firefighters); two had gone missing; and 286 were injured (164 of them had already been discharged from hospitals). The cause of the leaks is still under scrupulous investigation.
As for repairs, as of 2 p.m.:
- 24,029 households had regained electricity; 5,760 still had not.
- 1,437 households again had natural gas supply; 22,205 were still without it.
- 2,288 households again had telephone lines in operation; 447 still did not.
- 49 base stations had restarted functioning; 19 were still undergoing repair.
- 6,500 households were once again receiving running water, while 7,000 were still without it.
- One CPC Corp. franchise gasoline station had been shut down.
Presently all industrial parks in Kaohsiung have water supply. Taiwan Water Corp. (TWC) has set up a total of 14 temporary water-supply stations and 17 vehicle tanks for the 7,000 households still without water to receive it. After inspecting the sites, the Kaohsiung City Government (KCG) has agreed to TWC setting up temporary water supply lines, which will make running water available to all residents within five days.
Taiwan Power Co. has mobilized several groups of personnel to designated responsibility zones. It expects to restore electricity to 3,349 more households by the end of today and an additional 459 by tomorrow. As for 1,952 households in the worst-damaged areas, if the city government agrees to allow the installment of temporary suspended power lines after the roads have been cleared off, then Taipower will be able to restore electricity to all households within three days.
A total of 604 firefighters, 215 fire trucks, 16 search and rescue dogs and 45 life detectors had been employed at the sites. These were dispatched by the KCG, Tainan City Government, Pingtung County Government, Taitung County Government and Chiayi City Government.
The Ministry of National Defense had sent 2,041 soldiers, 148 trucks, seven sets of machinery and equipment used by engineering troops, and 668 rescue and relief tools to back up the rescue efforts.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare has set up a shelter at Kaohsiung Municipal Chung-Cheng Industrial High School in Qianzhen (Cianjhen) District, which as of 2 p.m. had taken in 260 people.
Vice Premier Mao instructed the central ministries to collaborate closely with their local counterparts, devote all efforts and material resources to disaster relief and discover the causes of the incident.