Taiwan undertakes groundwater drilling to alleviate drought
04/25/2021 09:33 PM
Groundwater drilling at Liyutan Reservoir in Miaoli County. CNA file photo
Taipei, April 25 (CNA) Taiwan s government has undertaken groundwater drilling in four major areas as an emergency response to the most serious drought on the island for over half a century.
The drought has been precipitated in part by the fact the island had no typhoons in 2020, the first annual hiatus in 56 years.
According to data from the Water Resources Agency (WRA), reservoirs in western Taiwan received only 752 millimeters of rain from June 2020 to February this year, less than half the historical average of 1,778 millimeters.
Drought prevention in Taichung
By Chang Yen-ming 張炎銘
Water restrictions were implemented in two zones of Taichung from Tuesday last week, with water supplied for five days and cut off for two. People with large-capacity water storage tanks at home might not be feeling the effects, but businesses that use large amounts of water, such as restaurants, hair salons and car washes, are in dire straits.
Only twice in the past 22 years has Taichung been divided into zones for water rationing: In 1999, the Shihgang Dam (石岡壩) was badly damaged by the 921 Earthquake and in 2004 the inlet sluice gate of the Liyutan Reservoir (鯉魚潭水庫) became detached, leading to water restrictions for less than a week. The dam has since been repaired and a second raw water pipe was installed at the reservoir, so these incidents are unlikely to recur.
Firms ‘unaffected’ by drought: minister
EXTREME WEATHER: Due to climate change, there is greater ‘interannual variability,’ meaning Taiwan is experiencing dramatically drier and wetter years, an expert said
By Angelica Oung / Staff reporter
Despite a “less than ideal” amount of rain this month, the nation’s manufacturers “remain unaffected” by this year’s drought, Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua (王美花) said yesterday.
“It’s true that the weather forecasts for April are not ideal, but by continuing current water restrictions in central Taiwan, there should be enough water until the plum rain season arrives,” Wang said.
Taichung and Miaoli County have been on “red alert” since Tuesday last week, with weekly water supplies to households and businesses on for five days and off for two days.
News / Nation CGTN 21:36 UTC+8, 2021-04-10 0
Sun Moon Lake, an iconic tourist spot in Taiwan is turning into barren wasteland as the island is experiencing its worst water shortage crisis in 56 years. CGTN
CFP
A stitched photo of the nine-stacked-frogs statue in Sun Moon Lake before and during the drought.
Sun Moon Lake, an iconic tourist spot in Taiwan is turning into barren wasteland as the island is experiencing its worst water shortage crisis in 56 years due to months of scant rainfall and a lack of typhoons making landfall last year.
As the largest natural freshwater lake on the island, the water level of the lake has plunged by 12 meters, hitting a record low with some parts of the lake drying up completely. Netizens have been drawn to the drastically altered landscape, posting photos with densely