President Lai Ching-te visited Tainan on Saturday and promised a fast recovery for South Taiwan following the destruction caused by Typhoon Dynas. He met with local leaders and praised them for acting quickly after the disaster.At the Minzhi Civic Center, Lai emphasized the importance of teamwork. Moreover, he urged all levels of government to act immediately and remove recovery obstacles. As a result, affected communities could return to normal life without delay.
Typhoon Dynas followed an unusual south-to-north route across the Taiwan Strait. Consequently, it made landfall in Chiayi and struck the Chiayi–Tainan Plain with great force. Because of the storm’s power, infrastructure took a heavy hit.For example, Lai reported that nearly 4,000 utility poles fell during the storm. Furthermore, about 1,300 telecom base stations suffered serious damage, disrupting communication across multiple areas.
In addition, strong southwest winds brought intense rainfall. In some areas, rain levels surpassed those recorded during Typhoon Morakot. As a result, Chiayi, Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung experienced massive flooding and road closures.Due to these combined effects, the recovery process has become far more complex. However, Lai stressed that a fast recovery for South Taiwan remains the top government priority. Therefore, all departments must work quickly and stay coordinated.
To ease the burden on residents, the government rolled out several aid programs. For instance, farmers will receive direct financial help for damaged crops. In addition, families can apply for one-year interest-free loans to rebuild their homes.Besides financial aid, the government also promised help with debris removal and home repairs. In fact, cleanup teams are already working in several hard-hit neighborhoods.
Meanwhile, Tainan’s city government shared an update on recovery progress. As of Friday, they had received 32,851 applications for housing damage relief. Encouragingly, they expect to complete 80% of payments by next week.Still, President Lai said more needs to be done. Therefore, he asked government workers to remain active in the field. He also encouraged residents to stay hopeful and resilient.
Throughout his visit, Lai repeated the same commitment: a fast recovery for South Taiwan must happen without delay. With government support and public cooperation, he believes a full recovery is within reach.Ultimately, Lai ended his speech by promising continuous help. In his words, “Together, we will build a stronger, safer future—starting with a fast recovery for South Taiwan.”
