Less than four months after Taiwan was rocked by the region’s strongest earthquake in a quarter of a century, the island was soaked by torrential rains accompanying Typhoon Gaemi. Even though life has returned to normal for almost everyone, tourists heading to the Hualien area may have to adjust their plans.
All of Taiwan’s counties and municipalities ordered a ‘typhoon holiday’ (during which schools and government offices close, and the majority of private businesses go on hiatus) starting the morning of Wednesday July 24. In many places this was extended to Thursday and then Friday, as there was no let up in the rain and thousands of homeowners found themselves battling rising waters. The landscapes of Taiwan are used to a lot of rain — that’s why the interior is characterised by lush bamboo forests and thriving woodlands — but Typhoon Gaemi definitely brought too much of a good thing.
Compared to other major typhoons, there was little significant damage due to wind. But that was no consolation to residents of Kaohsiung and Tainan whose ground floors were flooded or who weren’t able to move their cars to higher ground in time. Thanks to Taiwan’s resilient urban design and the professionalism of the emergency services — both of which were obvious in the wake of the April 3 earthquake — few locations were under water for more than a few hours and there were just ten fatalities.
Road and rail complications
The authorities quickly rehoused those whose homes were ruined or who live in places susceptible to landslides. As citizens of a vibrant democracy, Taiwan’s people rightfully expect their government to be responsive to their needs and to support those in need. Notwithstanding the best of intentions, it may take a while before the road and rail networks are fully restored. Of particular concern to would-be sightseers, the rightfully famous Alishan Forest Railway isn’t expected to resume normal operations before the end of August.
As of today (July 29), trains between Taipei and Hualien are terminating at Suaoxin in Yilan County, and it’s not clear when they’ll be running as normal again. Several roads were damaged by typhoon landslides which either undermined them or dumped tons of rock and mud on them. The Suhua Highway that connects the counties of Yilan and Hualien is currently out of action. While Highway 7 (the North Cross-Island Highway connecting Yilan with Taoyuan) should be open within a few days, the Highways Bureau is predicting that it could be the second half of August before Highway 20 (the South Cross-Island Highway) is ready for civilian traffic. Certain roads in Nantou County have also suffered severe damage, so it pays to research your route carefully or — even better — let one of Life of Taiwan’s highly experienced driver-guides handle everything from planning to driving to showing you the best scenic spots and finest restaurants.
If you’re thinking of visiting Taiwan this year or next, reach out to us today so we can begin crafting your Taiwan private tour of a lifetime for you.