Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government

To learn more about the progress of relief and cleanup operation in the aftermath of Typhoon Morakot, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin visited the members of Taipei’s emergency rescue team in Pingtung County’s Linbian Township on August 16. He praised the members of the rescue team and asked them to deliver his message to residents of Linbian, asking them not to despair and promising support.

Public Works Commissioner Chen Jin-yuan, Environmental Protection Commissioner Ni Shih-piao, and Civil Affairs Commissioner Huang Lu Jin-ru accompanied the mayor on the trip to Linbian. At the coastal town, he met with town officials including mayor Chen Chu-yun and town council chairman Wu Tung-pai. The local leaders expressed their gratitude to Hau for providing assistance at the first moment.

As of August 16, Taipei City dispatched a total of 716 rescue workers to the disaster areas, as well as 240 large vehicles, 33 speedboats, 10 rubber rafts, and 29 drainage pumps. Linbian is one of the first destinations of Taipei’s emergency rescue team; the rescue workers arrived at the scene in the night of August 8.

Following a briefing session by the officials, the mayor visited several reconstruction sites in the town to observe the progress of debris and mud removal. During the three-hour tour, Hau spoke with Taipei’s rescue workers and encouraged them to keep up the effort, noting that Taipei’s citizens are proud of their contributions to the recovery process.

Seeing how the mudslides have clogged up the rainwater sewers in the town, Commissioner Chen and Commissioner Ni promised to arrange for more equipment to be delivered to Linbian to help with the mud-removal process.

Hau also talked with Pingtung County Magistrate Tsao Chi-hung over the phone. He promised Tsao that Taipei will continue to provide support and to assist Pingtung County Government in dealing with the aftermath of Typhoon Morakot.