Heavy rain in central and southern Taiwan has caused disasters. The Central Disaster Response Center held its 21st working meeting at 9:00 am today (4th) to discuss the impacts of the severe rain that started on July 28. According to the report, this heavy rain has resulted in 4 deaths, 3 missing persons, 77 injuries, and a total evacuation of 5,925 people across Taiwan.
During the meeting on the July 28 rain situation in Taiwan, Deputy Commander and Vice Minister of Agriculture, Du Wenzhen, chaired the meeting. Based on data from the Central Weather Bureau, the southwest wind today has brought convective cloud systems into the area south of the Taiwan Strait, with rainfall decreasing compared to the conditions of the 3rd.
Regarding casualties, as of 7:30 am today, the search and rescue team reported a total of 4 deaths, 3 missing persons, and 77 injuries across Taiwan.
The Central Disaster Response Center in Taiwan stated that currently, 6 county and city governments are at Level 2 alert, while 2 county and city governments are at Level 3 alert. There are 40 shelters set up in 6 counties and cities, accommodating 636 people, with 359 in Kaohsiung City and 218 in Pingtung County. The total number of evacuees has reached 5,925.
A red alert for landslides is still in effect at 184 locations, with 14 areas under a red alert for large-scale collapses; 10 provincial highway sections are closed for precautionary measures, 5 roads are blocked by disasters, and 1 road is affected. Sections of the Taiwan Provincial Highways 16 and 20 are partly blocked, but clearance is expected to be completed today. The Traffic Engineering Team is continuously monitoring progress and will ease restrictions when deemed safe. Search and rescue operations for vehicles that fell off cliffs along the Nanhe Highway will also continue today.
There have been a total of 673 cases of flooding, all of which have receded. The Water Resources Agency is providing ongoing assistance with 47 water pumps in affected areas. Across Taiwan, 50,671 households experienced power outages, with 303 still awaiting restoration while waiting for road clearance or basement water drainage before repairs can be carried out.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that there are currently no specific epidemics or cluster incidents reported. There are 150,307 bottles of disinfectants stocked across Taiwan for post-disaster epidemic prevention. People are reminded that during the cleanup after the disaster, contact with sewage, sludge, or stagnant water in the environment may lead to vector-borne diseases such as hookworm disease, leptospirosis, gastrointestinal infections, and dengue fever. It is advised that people take the necessary precautions during home cleaning and follow the three-step epidemic prevention guidelines: have proper equipment, pay attention to diet, and eliminate breeding sources to prevent infectious diseases.
As the rainfall subsides, people in various regions are gradually cleaning up their homes. Vice Minister Du has instructed the Health, Medical, and Environmental Protection Teams to fully support local government medical assistance and epidemic prevention efforts to ensure the swift handling of these tasks and safeguard public health. Local environmental protection bureaus are urged to start environmental cleaning and disinfection immediately after the floodwaters recede.