US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI3073

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 003073 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO AIT/W AND EAP/RSP/TC 
 
STATE PLEASE ALSO PASS TO USEPA/OIA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AMGT, SENV, ECON, KSCA, KPAO, TW, ESTH, Domestic Politics 
SUBJECT: TYPHOON HAITANG SLAMS TAIWAN 
 
REF: TAIPEI 02641 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
1. (U) Summary.  Typhoon Haitang, the largest typhoon to hit 
Taiwan in five years, brought strong winds and torrential 
rains to Taiwan July 17-19.  No part of Taiwan escaped 
unscathed with eastern and southern Taiwan suffering the 
greatest damage.  At least 8 people died, 31 have been 
injured and 1 is missing.  However, numbers are expected to 
rise as the extent of damage in Eastern and Southern Taiwan 
is assessed after the rains abate.  Due to the typhoon, all 
cities throughout Taiwan were closed for work and classes 
for at least one day.  All rail and most air service were 
also halted on the 18th.  The storm left over 1.5 million 
households without power and about 130,000 households 
without water for at least some period of time. 
Agricultural losses compounded those incurred during spring 
floods in southern Taiwan adding at least another NTD 2.6 
billion (USD 81.3 million).  The flooding left in the 
storm's wake renewed the Democratic Progressive Party's 
(DPP) call for a special Legislative Yuan (LY) session to 
pass a bill for an eight-year NTD 80 billion (USD 2.5 
billion) flood-control project (reftel).  Opposition parties 
claim the proposal is designed to buy votes rather than stop 
floods.  End Summary. 
 
Heavy Rain and Landslides 
------------------------- 
 
2. (U) Typhoon Haitang, the largest typhoon to hit Taiwan in 
five years, brought strong winds and torrential rains to 
Taiwan July 17-19.  In its wake at least 8 people died, 31 
have been injured and 1 is missing.  However, numbers are 
expected to rise as the extent of damage in Eastern and 
Southern Taiwan is assessed after the rains down south 
abate.   Warnings of landslides, mudslides and flash floods 
were issued for areas along 298 streams in Hualien, Ilan, 
Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Taichung counties.  Several of 
the worst hit areas saw well over 1 meter of rainfall. 
 
3. (U) Particularly hard hit were eastern and southern 
Taiwan.  These areas saw extensive damage to roads and 
bridges, destroyed several homes and stranded residents and 
travelers in Kenting and Green Island.  Kaohsiung Harbor has 
experienced serious impact, with a stranded freighter 
outside the port and several containers washed overboard 
inside the port.   Details of damage to these areas Taiwan 
will be reported in septel. 
 
4. (U) Heavy rains and winds also severely disrupted air and 
ground transportation, with all rail service and most 
flights cancelled on July 18.  The storm left over 1.5 
million households without power and 130,000 households 
without water for at least some period of time.  By noon on 
July 20, while power was restored to most households, 20,346 
remained in the dark. 
 
5. (U) The government evacuated many residents (some by 
force) in areas at highest risk for mudslides and stepped up 
campaigns to discourage people from engaging in high risk 
activities such as mountain hiking and staying near the 
ocean.  These measures have been credited with reducing the 
loss of life and damage. 
 
Agricultural and Economic Impact 
-------------------------------- 
 
6. (U) The Council of Agriculture estimates agricultural 
losses at approximately NTD 2.6 billion (USD 81.3 million), 
including NTD 2.34 billion (USD 73.1 million) in crops, NTD 
7.43 million (USD 232,000) in livestock, NTD 1.32 million 
(USD 41,250) in fisheries and NTD 57 million (USD 1.8 
million) in forestry.  Livestock losses included 62 pigs, 
18,000 chickens and 29,000 ducks.  Losses in farms and 
agricultural facilities and livestock facilities were 
estimated at NTD 206 million (USD 6.4 million). 
Approximately 34,970 hectares of agricultural land was 
damaged.  Agricultural officials say those figures will be 
revised upwards as the rains are expected to continue in the 
south for at least another day. 
 
7. (U) In an effort to ameliorate the impact on prices, the 
Council of Agriculture has released some 500 tons of frozen 
vegetables and fruits into the market.  Some vegetables 
prices have increased by as much as 50 percent while others 
are experiencing price hikes in the 5-10 percent range. 
 
Flood Controls Put to Test 
-------------------------- 
 
8. (U) Typhoon Haitang put a new flood control system along 
the Keelung River to test.  The Yuanshantze water works was 
designed to release water to the sea through a system of 
tunnels whenever the water level in the river exceeds 63 
meters.  By all accounts, the system worked as planned and 
the cities of Wudu and Sijhih were spared significant 
flooding as a result. 
 
Politics 
--------- 
 
9. (SBU) In response to the new bout of flooding caused by 
the typhoon, the DPP has once again called for the 
Legislative Yuan (LY) to hold a special session to pass a 
bill for an eight-year NTD 80 billion (USD 2.5 billion) 
flood-control project (reftel).  Opposition parties claim 
that it is not necessary to rush to hold an emergency summer 
special LY session for the type of long-term planning 
required for flood control and prevention.  In the words of 
one Taiwan Solidarity Union Legislator, "The bill does not 
actually propose any specific plan.  It simply provides 
monies to local DPP strongholds and is designed to buy votes 
rather than to prevent flooding."  This view was echoed in 
an Economic Daily editorial. 
 
Paal