More personnel and equipment will be sent to the flooded areas of Kaohsiung damaged by the July 31 gas explosions, officials stated.
As recent torrential rains in Kaohsiung have flooded both roads ruptured by the explosions and some low-lying houses, Premier Jiang Yi-huah yesterday (August 8) directed Executive Yuan Secretary-General Lee Shih-chuan to dispatch more water pumps to the areas to help clear the flooding.
The central government will also send more soldiers to the area to help clear the drainage pipes blocked by shattered debris. Water will be drained with pumps provided by the Ministry of National Defense, Water Resources Agency of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, and Construction and Planning Agency of the Minister of the Interior. Additionally, debris and waste will be removed from and sanitization carried out at each one of the affected households.
This morning, the Executive Yuan convened a meeting in which several major decisions were reached. Secretary-General Lee, Minister without Portfolio Yang Chiu-hsing, a deputy defense minister and the commander of the 8th Army Corps were among those in attendance.
The central government will continue to support the city government through the efforts of the army, firefighters, health and welfare personnel and environmental protection workers to help disaster victims return to their normal lives as soon as possible and show them that the central government is fully behind the city government, the officials resolved.