Typhoon Smashed Taiwan; 208 Dead or Missing

Toraji, the eighth Typhoon, smashed Taiwan and caused the worst damages over the last 50 years. In the early morning of July 30, Toraji landed on the east Taiwan with the wind of 150 km/hr, overwhelming the northeastern and middle areas. As of noon of July 31, 52 are dead and 156 are missing, according to Taiwan Fire Department.

There were 43 mudslides in various places and many houses have neither electricity nor communications in the afternoon of July 31. So far, the exact amount of damages is not evaluated yet. Taiwan Agriculture Committee estimated 1,460,000,000 Taiwan dollar (43 million US dollar) loss due to the typhoon that smashed on July 30 and 31, considering hundreds of flooded houses, thousands acres of flooded farming area, and collapsed bridges.

The biggest damages of Toraji occurred in Hwaren-Hyun and Thaijung City areas, which are 160 km south of Taipei. In Hwaren-Hyun, a massive mudslide occurred and 21 people were buried in the mud. In Natau-Hyun where the earthquake occurred in 1999, 11 people were dead. In Pyoungrin area of Hwaren-Hyun, a record of 547 mm rained.

Central Disaster Prevention and Countermeasures Headquarters said that Jai-Hyun and Changhwa-Hyun were flooded with mudslides and that 47 percent of the whole cultivation area was flooded in Taijung.

Typhoon Toraji also swept the Shinjoo Silicon Valley, where the world no. 1 and 2 companies (TSMC and UMC) in terms of semiconductor consigned production are located. But the damage details have not been released.

Toraji that swept Taiwan turned into a weak tropical typhoon in the early morning of July 31 and landed on Puchen in China, causing serious damages. According to Shinhwa Communications, this flood is responsible for a fallen bus with 20 passengers, in which 4 are dead and tens of people are missing. DPA communications reported that 26 are dead due to the typhoon in the area of Puchen-Sung.

Lee Jong-Hwan ljhzip@donga.com