TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Mayor Hou Yu-ih chaired the second work report meeting of the first level of the New Taipei City Disaster Response Center on Thursday (Aug. 3). The Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate concluded his visit to Japan a day earlier and started to oversee the response to Typhoon Khanun's onslaught.
Winds from Typhoon Khanun have reached level 11 in the city's outskirts, causing waves up to five meters high. Due to the strong winds, the disaster has already caused 33 incidents in Hou's jurisdiction, including fallen trees and power lines.
Mayor Hou urged residents to remain indoors and avoid the coastline and tasked the Public Works Department with securing signboards and other potential falling hazards to prevent accidents.
Immediately following the meeting, Hou visited the Banqiao District's critical flood prevention infrastructure — the Nan Tsai Kuo pumping station. He confirmed that the eight pump units at the station had undergone upgrades and work was ongoing. The goal for this year is to upgrade a total of 24 pump units across seven different stations.
The Water Bureau has been ordered to monitor water levels and activate pumping units as necessary. The recent renovations aim to maximize the efficiency of flood prevention facilities.