TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) has canceled a visit to the U.S. mid-trip and returned home to oversee the city's response to Typhoon Gaemi.

Lu embarked on what was intended to be a 10-day visit on Tuesday evening (July 23), but was back in Taiwan by 4 a.m. Wednesday after reportedly spending about six hours in the U.S. Lu held a meeting on the plane home during which it was decided classes and work would be canceled in Taichung, and attended a disaster response meeting at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, per CNA.

Lu said in a Facebook post on Tuesday that Deputy Mayor Huang Kuo-jung (黃國榮) would take her place and finish the planned visit to the U.S. “It is rare to visit the U.S., but protecting Taichung is my promise to the citizens,” Lu said.

Upon Lu’s return, the Kuomintang (KMT) mayor’s opposition criticized her for leaving Taiwan as the storm was approaching. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) councilor for Taichung Chou Yung-hung (周永鴻) said that Lu’s flight to the U.S. was expensive and the wind speed was increasing as she departed.

Fellow DPP Taichung Councilor Chiang Chao-kuo (江肇國) added to the criticism and said the deputy mayor should have led the delegation instead of Lu. He suggested Taichung City Government had not prioritized the welfare of its citizens.

Lu rejected the criticisms while speaking to reporters, and said the focus remains on disaster prevention. Asked if she thought purchasing business class tickets for the trip could be considered a waste of taxpayers' money, Lu said that “urban diplomacy and Taiwan’s defense are both important.”

Visiting the U.S. and typhoon prevention are both considered official business, she added.