Torrential rains have delayed work on a gas pipeline in the southern city of Kaohsiung. The pipeline has been named as the cause of a devastating explosion that rocked the city on July 31, killing 30 and injuring more than 300.
Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu visited the site on Sunday. She said that four pumps are in place to reduce the water so that workers can empty the damaged pipeline, which still contains a flammable gas – propylene.
Kaohsiung's environmental protection agency says that the water level needs to be brought down by about a meter before the work can continue. Officials say it will take four days to clear the pipes.
Last week, prosecutors ordered the removal of a segment of the pipeline for testing to see if the damage was caused by erosion or by the explosion.
A plastic pipe was later used to reconnect the gas line, but was unable to withstand the pumping pressure. Workers were set to replace the plastic pipeline with a steel segment on Sunday, but the work was delayed by flooding.