Typhoon Fanapi claims 1 life, floods churches and homes

["Taiwan Church News" <enews@pctpress.org>]

      Taiwan Church News

      3056 Edition

      September 20~26, 2010

       

       

      Typhoon Fanapi claims 1 life, floods churches and homes

       

      Reported by Sam Lee, Lin Yi-ying

      Written by Lydia Ma

      Photo provided by Pingtung Presbyery

       

       



      Typhoon Fanapi dropped more than 1,000 mm of rain in southern 
Taiwan on September 19, 

      flooding many parts of Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung. Many 
churches and Christian homes 

      in those areas reported severe flooding, with some homes 
submerged in more than 1 meter 

      of water

       



      Lessons learned from last year’s deadly Typhoon Morakot 
prompted residents from parts of 

      Rukai, Paiwan, South Bunun, and East Paiwan presbyteries and 
Tsou District to evacuate 

      ahead of time, resulting in no casualties in those areas this 
time.

       



      However, one PCT member in Kaohsiung County was killed in the 
storm. Shen Cheng-yuan, a 

      40-year-old male from Hai-An Presbyterian Church in Kaohsiung 
County, died in a car 

      accident when his vehicle crashed into a makeshift stage. Poor 
visibility caused by the 

      rainstorm most likely contributed to this tragedy.

       



      According to reports from presbyteries, more than 12 townships 
in Pingtung were severely 

      flooded. Yan-Pu Presbyterian Church reported that 40 of its 
members’ homes were flooded by 

      heavy rain and it has called for donations in used clothing and 
is seeking about 20 volunteers 

      to help with clean-up efforts.

       



      PCT Morakot Rebuilding Center in Pingtung distributed meal 
boxes, hot food, and rice 

      dumplings in small towns around Pingtung County from September 
19-24, 2010, aided by 

      Chiayi Presbytery’s Church and Society Committee. Local 
residents said they were extremely 

      grateful for such help at a time when many had to evacuate from 
their homes and towns again.

       



      Just before Typhoon Fanapi made its landfall, government 
agencies had already stockpiled 

      canned food and non-perishable foods. PCT churches partnered 
with local government 

      agencies by providing hot food and non- vegetarian food to 
residents staying in shelters.



       

      A few of the bridges connecting Aborigine communities to urban 
areas are reportedly 

      destroyed once again, including bridges connecting Xiaolin and 
Namasiya, and bridges in 

      Wutai Township – the most hard-hit regions during last year’s 
Typhoon Morakot. As of press 

      time, the time required to fix these bridges will be at least 2 
weeks and the full extent of 

      damages is still being assessed.

       



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