Typhoon Approaching: Keelung Mayor Says Northern Taiwan Cities Will Coordinate on Work/School Closures

TAIPEI, Taiwan (CNA) -- With Typhoon Bavi approaching, Keelung City has adjusted its rainfall criteria for determining work and school closures. Regarding whether Keelung, Taipei, New Taipei, and Taoyuan will still make synchronized decisions, Keelung Mayor Hsieh Kuo-liang said today that the four cities will coordinate their actions. He added that as soon as there is any news on how the announcement will be made, it will be immediately reported to the public.

Hsieh Kuo-liang, accompanied by Hung Yen-liang, deputy director of the Public Works Department, independent city councilor Chen Kuan-yu, and KMT city councilor Lien En-tien, inspected slope repair work on Hsinglung Street today. In a press interview, Hsieh Kuo-liang stated that Typhoon Bavi is expected to bring strong winds and heavy rainfall, with its outer circulation potentially affecting Keelung City on the 10th and 11th. The Keelung City Government will coordinate with Taipei, New Taipei, and Taoyuan, and will immediately report any relevant information to the citizens.

Hsieh Kuo-liang pointed out that Keelung is mostly mountainous, making comprehensive preemptive evacuations impractical. Therefore, the city government will focus on planning evacuation operations for the most geologically sensitive and landslide-prone areas. If necessary, assistance will be requested from the central government. As for this year's disaster preparedness fund, it has not yet been utilized. The city government has compiled a list of heavy machinery, such as excavators, with contractors, and personnel can be dispatched immediately to rescue operations if disaster reports are received from any district.

Hung Yen-liang stated that the Public Works Department has identified 57 priority road slopes across the city and has completed inspection operations. Management mechanisms will be strengthened thereafter. For Beining Road and Huhai Road, which have a higher frequency of disasters, the Public Works Department will cooperate with the Directorate-General of Highways and may implement preemptive road closures during heavy rainfall.

Keelung City's previous rainfall reference standard for suspending work and classes was 350 millimeters, regardless of whether it was in mountainous or plain areas. The city government added supplementary regulations in March. For typhoon and heavy rainfall disasters, when the predicted cumulative rainfall in the next 24 hours reaches 200 millimeters, regardless of mountainous or plain areas, a work and class suspension judgment mechanism of "phased determination, layered activation" will be initiated. (Edited by Long Pa-an) 1150707

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