TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Typhoon Danas wreaked havoc in southern Taiwan, prompting President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) to assess the damage in Tainan on Tuesday (July 8), starting with a visit to Madou (麻豆) to inspect the loss of pomelos.
President Lai pledged support for affected farmers, expressing commitment to backing the Ministry of Agriculture's (MOA, 農業部) proposal to reduce loan interest rates to zero for affected farmers. Meanwhile, the Taiwan Power Company (TPC, 台灣電力) continues to work tirelessly to restore electricity, with 650 utility poles damaged.
While the Han Kuang Exercise (漢光演習) is set to begin tomorrow, President Lai and the Ministry of National Defense (MND, 國防部) will discuss reallocating available military forces to assist farmers. He stated that extra manpower will be directed to aid in recovery efforts before the exercise enters its combat phase. The Taiwan Water Corporation (自來水公司) has already fully restored the water supply, though power restoration remains ongoing.
In Tainan, the devastation extended beyond pomelos, affecting avocados, longans, guavas, sugar apples, and mangoes. The MOA has announced cash aid for all crop categories, urging a swift and generous response. The typhoon also caused widespread destruction, including the collapse of three high-voltage towers in Chiayi County, leaving over 820,000 households without power. TPC is making all-out efforts to restore services.