Severe Flooding in Neihu; Legislator Demands Taipei City Government Investigation

Intense rainfall has caused severe flooding in Taipei's Neihu district, prompting calls for an immediate investigation by legislator Kao Chia-yu. Areas including Neihu Road Section 3, Wende Road, Gangqian Road, and Ruiguang Road experienced significant water accumulation, with the Ganghu area even being placed on a flood alert by the Water Resources Agency.

Kao stated that the flooding is not solely due to excessive rain but a combination of factors: the area's natural topography, rapid urban development, and the limitations of the existing drainage system. She pointed out that even the Nankang Housing Project site and parts of Neihu Road Section 3, which rarely flood, were inundated, indicating a systemic issue beyond simple drain blockages. This situation tests the resilience of the Ganghu area's drainage against extreme weather.

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If the speed of development far exceeds the speed of infrastructure upgrades, then today's flooding will likely not be the last time.

The legislator urged the Taipei City government to review rainfall data against drainage capacity and to thoroughly examine the Neihu drainage system. She emphasized that the city government should not merely attribute the flooding to exceeding design standards but should comprehensively assess the impact of increased population and development on drainage capacity. Kao warned that if development outpaces infrastructure upgrades, flooding will likely become more frequent.

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The city government's review should not stop at 'exceeding design standards' but should comprehensively examine how much the population of Neihu has increased? How much has development increased? How much has drainage capacity increased?

Kao requested that the city government release comparative data on rainfall and drainage capacity, including rainfall measurements, drainage system design standards for each district, the operational status of pumping stations, and the locations of flood-prone areas. This information, she argued, would clarify whether the issue is extreme rainfall or a failure of the drainage system, which carries different responsibilities. She also called for a review of drainage systems along key roads in Neihu and the establishment of a flood hotspot database to identify bottlenecks, insufficient culverts, inadequate pumping capacity, or pipe blockages.

Furthermore, Kao suggested implementing a real-time early warning system for the Ganghu area, including road closure alerts, a live flood map, app notifications, and public access to pumping station operational data. This would allow residents to reroute before the evening commute. She also stressed that major development projects must be accompanied by simultaneous reviews of drainage capacity, as new buildings increase surface runoff, potentially exacerbating flooding if drainage facilities are not expanded concurrently.

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Should the city government publish rainfall and drainage capacity comparison data, including rainfall at each station, design standards for drainage systems in each district, pumping station operation status, and locations of flood-prone areas, so that the public knows whether it is 'extreme rainfall exceeding design standards' or 'drainage system failure'?