President Tsai Ing-wen was in the southeastern county of Taitung on Sunday to inspect reconstruction in one of the indigenous villages that was severely damaged during Typhoon Meranti in mid-September.
The president’s trip brought her to Hongye, the home of a legendary youth league baseball team. About 29 households there were completely or partially buried when several tons of rubble swept through the village, as a result of the typhoon which trounced Taiwan on September 14. Roads were also buried under two meters of debris, which also damaged the local elementary school. Local officials worked quickly to evacuate the village ahead of the landslide, preventing injury and loss of life.
A number of high-ranking officials from the central and local governments accompanied Tsai on her inspection tour, including the defense minister, Taitung county commissioner, legislators, and the head of Taiwan’s Council of Indigenous Peoples.
President Tsai thanked the military, government agencies, and the legislators for their assistance in the relief efforts. She said that Taitung often bears the brunt of typhoons, and that people in indigenous villages and remote areas are often forced to deal with the damage. She said that the government is prioritizing resources to deal with post-typhoon reconstruction.