Kaohsiung road floods, turns into 'mud river' after heavy rain; candidate demands military action

Kaohsiung experienced severe flooding in the Gushan District after continuous heavy rainfall, transforming a road into a "muddy river." The deluge caused water to inundate homes and create potholes, leading to at least one motorcyclist's injury.

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The entire road turned into a 'yellow muddy river,' with water even flooding into residential homes across the street.

Political candidate Ko Chih-en visited the affected area and called for the military to strengthen soil and water conservation efforts. She noted that while a retaining wall was rebuilt last year, the issue of runoff from the hillside persists. Ko highlighted that the military is set to build six new check dams and two settling ponds within its base, with completion expected by the end of December, and urged continued vigilance until then.

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The military's soil and water conservation plan has received central government funding and will include six new check dams and two settling ponds within the camp area, with completion expected by the end of December.

The local village chief reported that while the city had deployed mobile water pumps, they became ineffective when mud and debris from the hillside blocked their pipes. Ko emphasized the need for the city government to monitor flood-prone areas and manage water drainage effectively, especially with increasingly frequent extreme weather events.

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When the muddy water from Chishan began to pour down with the heavy rain, the mud and rocks not only covered the entire road and sidewalk but also blocked the pipes of the water pumps, causing them to stop working for a time.

She stressed that each flood incident should serve as an opportunity to inspect and improve the city's water management systems, identifying and addressing any weaknesses to prevent future disasters and alleviate residents' suffering.

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Facing increasingly frequent extreme rainfall, Kaohsiung needs to treat every disaster as an opportunity to inspect its water management system, identify problems, and fill the gaps.