wfn.org | Taiwan Churches Respond to Typhoon Toraji Havoc

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  Typhoon Toraji Wreaks Havoc in Taiwan's Earthquake Reconstruction
Zone

Taiwan Church News  31st July 2001
Reported by Tio Leng-kip, Written by David Alexander

      Typhoon Toraji made landfall on Taiwan's East Coast on July 30th
and passed across the central part of the nation that night.  It caused
the greatest flooding and landslides since 1959.  Areas damaged by an
earthquake in September of 1999 and by a supertyphoon in August of 2000
were subjected to further landslides and flooding caused by the rain.
Forty Five people are confirmed dead, and a further 151 reported
missing.

      Landslides in the earthquake reconstruction zone cut off areas from
communications except by cell phones.  All roads into the town of Ji-ji,
the epicenter of the 1999 earthquake, were swept away.  Vital services
are unable to enter the area to provide rescue and relief.

      The Christian Rescue and Relief Association immediatly decided to
offer condolence payments of 50,000 Taiwan Yuan (about US$1,500) to any
family suffering a death.  Presbyterian Church in Taiwan  Associate
General Secretary Susan Chuang accompanied the head of the church's
committee on Church and Society to survey the area, but they were
blocked by the landslides from reaching their targets, the Ruey-chu,
Shui-li and Shin-yi Community Care Rebuilding Centers, which the PCT has
maintained since the 1999 quake. Once they have surveyed the area they
will decide what kinds of aid to send through the existing relief
structures.

      The zone is particularly susceptible to landslides because of its
rugged terrain and the aftereffects of the quake.  The soil and rock
that was loosened in 1999 but did not slide into valleys is laden and
lubricated by the rainwaters and comes down.  When streambeds fill with
solid matter water overflows the banks.

     In the eastern district of Chu-shan township the entire village of
Mu-ji-liao was inundated.  One hundred people evacuated into the local
elementary school.  Their need for rescue and relief is similar to what
they required after the quake.

     In one hour as much as 30 centimeters of rain fell on Lu-gu,
Chu-shan, Shin-yi and Shui-li townships. Total rainfall from the typhoon
was over 60 centimeters in many places.  On the plains there was
flooding in Taichung, central Taiwan's main city. The main North/South
trunk roads and railroad were cut by floods.

     Rev. Tsai Nan-sin, pastor of Ruey-chu Presbyterian Church in
Ching-shui township, housed ten people from four homes in the church's
second floor activity center.  He reported that the homes of many
village residents have been damaged and people are already approaching
the church for help.  But he noted that food and drinking water supplies
on hand were only enough for two days.

    Deacon Liou Shing-you of Lu-gu Presbyterain Church in Chu-shan
township reported that all members of the church were safe, but that 7
residents of Chi-tou village and three of Ho-ya village were swept away
in a landslide.  He said that in the village of Chang-ya the water was
"two people deep."

    Rev. Choan Kian-seng, an Aboriginal pastor in Shui-li said, "Ten
homes in Shui-li and twenty in Siong-an were seriously damaged.  Because
roads are cut and bridges too dangerous to cross, we are not able to say
how much of the water has drained already. What we do know is that the
overflowing streams have flooded numerous homes, and that the large
equipment necessary to effect rescue work is unable to move into the
area."

    Rev. Chen Cheng-un of Ai-lan Presbyterian Church in Puli said, "The
only road into Puli passes over a temporary bridge near this church.
Two of its supports are visibly weakened.  The town is cut off."

    The Presbyterian Church in Taiwan is one of several religious and
volunteer organizations still in the area operating rebuilding centers
after the 1999 earthquake.  This presence, plus the very network nature
of Presbyterian oganization, places the church at the grassroots level
ready to assess needs and transfer relief aid with the minimum of
overhead or lag time.

For more information: Rev. Susan Chuang  FAX+886 2 2362 8096
e-mail: susan@mail.pct.org.tw

Community Rebuilding Care Centers
   Central Office:  Hwang Chao-sin  FAX +886 4 2358 6469
   e-mail:  921crc@mail.pct.org.tw

  Chu-shan Rebuilding Care Center
    e-mail  cs921@mail.pct.org.tw

  Puli Rebuilding Care Center
  e-mail pl921@mail.pct.org.tw