At the Cabinet's weekly meeting Thursday, Premier Cho Jung-tai received briefings from the Executive Yuan's Office of Disaster Management, the Public Construction Commission (PCC) and the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) regarding the status of disaster recovery operations following the overflow of the Matai'an Creek Barrier Lake in Hualien County. The premier said that all homes in the affected area—except for some in remote locations or narrow alleyways—have been cleared to a certain extent, thanks to the dedicated effort of many volunteers, the ROC Armed Forces, and the central and local governments. He said that water and electricity services have also been almost fully restored, but emphasized that these represent only the initial steps in the broader recovery and reconstruction process. The premier called for continued cooperation between the central government's on-site forward coordination post and the Hualien County Government's forward command post, in order to help disaster victims return to normal life as soon as possible.
On October 7, the Executive Yuan opened a one-stop disaster relief service station in Guangfu Township, Hualien County, integrating multiple central government services to provide consultations and on-site applications for government assistance. Premier Cho expressed gratitude to the PCC, MOA, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Environment, Financial Supervisory Commission, Council of Indigenous Peoples, Taiwan Foundation for Disaster Relief and other public bodies for their cooperation in launching the station. He instructed his administrative team to learn from this experience as they continue to streamline procedures, expedite the distribution of relief funds and ensure the swift completion of all recovery operations.
Premier Cho further directed the MOA to continue monitoring slope conditions and the status of the barrier lake, develop medium- to long-term governance improvement measures, and properly plan and implement mitigation works. As long as the barrier lake remains, disaster scenario simulations and risk analyses must continue, and timely reviews and enhancements of existing response mechanisms, such as alert and notification systems, must be carried out. Furthermore, support must be provided to the local government to enable prompt evacuations and ensure the safety of downstream residents. Every effort must be made to ensure thoroughness and completeness.
The premier said that the disaster serves as an invaluable learning opportunity from which the government must draw lessons, identify weaknesses in prevention and response mechanisms, and enhance mitigation measures and preparedness training. Facing the challenges of climate change, teamwork and cooperation are crucial in order to more effectively safeguard people's lives and property.