TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — After several days of heavy rainfall, parts of downtown Tainan experienced the worst flooding the city has seen in decades.
According to multiple reports, continuous rainfall over four days has impaired the city’s drainage capacity, especially in the West Central District, around Zhongcheng Road and Guanting Street, where water reached 50 cm in some areas. UDN reported this is the first time the area has flooded in 30 years.
The Tainan Public Works Department said on Friday (June 14) that it was working to divert water flow and sending pumps to assist draining flooded areas, reported CTI News. On Saturday (June 15), five large pumps were dispatched to Zhongcheng Road to remove the standing water.
In West Central District’s Chikan Borough where the basements of at least 11 residential buildings were flooded, many residents criticized an ongoing construction project for the flooding. The construction company, which is building a hotel on Zhongcheng Road, allegedly blocked the neighborhood’s primary drainage system during their work, per ET Today. The Public Works Bureau is reportedly investigating the construction company
As of Saturday morning, the cumulative rainfall in Tainan over the previous 36 hours surpassed 219 mm. This has damaged the integrity of some roads in downtown Tainan, per UDN. Bouts of heavy rain are expected to continue in the coming days.
Over 60 homes and shops have reportedly been damaged in the flooding, along with dozens of scooters and cars that were parked on the roadside.