Vice President Hsiao Thanks Rescue Workers After Flooding and Gas Explosion in Taiwan

(Central News Agency, Koror, Palau, June 9) Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, who is on an official visit to allied nation Palau, said today that while she was relieved to hear that the site director trapped in the Mataian River in Hualien had been rescued, she deeply regretted the gas explosion and multiple flooding incidents in Hsinchu. Acknowledging the pain these events have caused the public, she specifically thanked all frontline emergency and rescue personnel for their dedication.

Yesterday, heavy rain caused the Mataian River in Hualien to swell rapidly. A site director who was helping to evacuate machinery was accidentally trapped but was safely rescued early this morning (June 9).

Vice President Hsiao told the media today that she had been closely monitoring the situation in Hualien since yesterday. She expressed great relief that, thanks to the joint search efforts of many people and the assistance of drones, the site director was found. He is now receiving medical treatment in the hospital, and she hopes for his speedy recovery.

The Vice President noted that Taiwan's terrain is characterized by high mountains and swift rivers, making it vulnerable to various disasters caused by earthquakes and climate change. She cited last year's landslide dam incident on the Mataian River as an example of the significant impact of climate change on the geographical environment.

From the perspective of overall societal resilience, she stated that Taiwan needs to build rapid disaster prevention, recovery, and rescue capabilities. She added that building such capabilities is something Taiwan hopes to share with its allied nations in the future, as island nations like Palau also face various challenges brought about by climate change. (Editor: Xie Jiazhen) 1150609