Budget delay endangers Taiwan’s ability to respond to extreme weather events. Premier Cho Jung-tai issued this urgent warning after torrential rain hit Miaoli County. Muddy floodwaters cascaded directly into homes across several communities. Cho made his appeal through a Facebook post on Wednesday. Areas in Miaoli and Hsinchu reported significant disruptions from the heavy rain. Consequently, this budget delay endangers public safety during a rapidly intensifying flood crisis.
Miaoli County Commissioner Chung Tung-chin provided detailed damage assessments. Areas surrounding the Tongsiao Power Plant experienced severe flooding conditions. Flooding in Houlong Township reached car tire height in many streets. Roads near the Carrefour outlet in Miaoli City required immediate closure. An underpass also shut down, forcing people to use alternative routes. Several roads in mountainous Nanjhuang Township closed due to flooding. The county has opened a level-three emergency response center. Chung integrated all available resources to manage the unfolding disaster.
Hsinchu County also suffered significant damage from the torrential rain. More than ten residents became trapped in mountainous Beipu and Emei townships. Rising flood waters surrounded these residents in their homes. Firefighters successfully rescued all trapped individuals from the danger. Hsinchu County Commissioner Yang Wen-ke confirmed these rescue operations. Heavy rain also caused fallen trees and landslides across multiple locations. Roads in Wufeng, Jianshi, and Beipu townships closed to the public. The Hsinchu City Government opened its own level-three emergency response center. Rainfall reached up to 50.5 millimeters per hour in some areas. This intensity caused severe flooding throughout the city.
As of 8 am, the city had received four official disaster reports. Two cases involved flooding inside private residential homes. One report concerned a flooded underpass in the city. Another report involved a fallen tree blocking a major road. Crews have since cleared the flooding in both private homes. Workers also cleared the flooded underpass for public safety. This budget delay endangers further response efforts as more rain threatens the region.
Cho said he has instructed central government agencies to act immediately. They must closely monitor disaster conditions across all regions. Agencies must report findings immediately to the central government. They must also provide timely support to local governments on the ground. Cho emphasized that public safety remains the top priority for his administration. Facing extreme climate is already a major challenge for Taiwan. However, the greatest challenge comes from the legislative impasse. The Executive Yuan has made repeated appeals and requests. Nevertheless, the Legislative Yuan has still failed to pass this year’s general budget. The flood season has arrived without any approved disaster funding.
Extreme weather poses mounting challenges for Taiwan’s infrastructure. Ongoing instability in the Middle East compounds these weather-related difficulties. From stabilizing prices to ensuring steady supplies of daily necessities, all depend on budget support. Bolstering disaster response capabilities requires adequate funding as well. However, the annual general budget remains pending final passage. Disaster relief funds and secondary reserve funds remain completely inaccessible. This undermines the government’s ability to respond swiftly to emergencies.
For this year’s general budget, the central government has allocated 2.8623 trillion dollars in revenue. Expenditures total 3.35 trillion dollars in the proposed budget plan. Opposition lawmakers have blocked review of the budget entirely. They cite dissatisfaction with the Executive Yuan’s funding priorities. The Cabinet failed to include funds for raising military pay. It also excluded police and firefighter pension increases. The Cabinet also refuses to countersign bills passed by the Legislative Yuan. The general budget was submitted for review at the end of August last year. However, legislators have not sent it to committees for formal review.
