Typhoon Holiday Row: Taipei Mayor Accused of Blame-Shifting; City Defends Decision

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an faced criticism for his decision not to declare a typhoon holiday during Tropical Storm Bailu, even as the city experienced significant wind and rain. This decision contrasted with a previous instance where a holiday was declared for Typhoon Bawei, which had less severe weather.

Democratic Progressive Party legislator Wu Si-yao accused Chiang of "shifting blame" to the central government by citing the lack of a land-based typhoon warning from the Central Weather Administration. She argued that the mayor's reasoning was inconsistent and politically motivated.

However, the Taipei City government, through Deputy Spokesperson Tsai Wun-ying, defended the mayor's decision. Tsai stated that the current situation with Bailu differed significantly from Typhoon Bawei in terms of predicted path, wind, and rain intensity, as well as disaster risk. She emphasized that the decision strictly followed the "Regulations for Suspension of Work and Classes due to Natural Disasters" and relied on professional forecasts from the Central Weather Administration.

According to data provided by the city government, the predicted wind and rain for Taipei within 24 hours of the August 8 evening forecast did not meet the legal threshold for suspending work and classes. The Central Weather Administration had only issued a sea warning, with no expectation of the storm's eye hitting the island. Tsai urged Wu not to "compare chalk with cheese" and accused her of selectively ignoring objective meteorological data for political maneuvering, suggesting it was an attempt to distract from other issues.