TAIPEI (TVBS News) — President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) mobilized Taiwan's disaster response apparatus Wednesday (Aug. 13) as Typhoon Podul claimed one life and injured 33 people while carving a destructive path across the island. The powerful storm made landfall in Taitung's (台東) Tamali (太麻里) at 1 p.m. before moving offshore near Tainan's (台南市) Qigu (七股) at 4 p.m., prompting Taiwan's leader to inspect the Central Disaster Response Center (中央災害應變中心). The typhoon's swift passage left thousands without power and forced mass evacuations across southern regions.
The Ministry of the Interior (MOI, 內政部) Taiwan's domestic affairs agency reported that 7,315 people evacuated southern regions by 2 p.m., with most seeking shelter with relatives and friends. Flooding devastated Luzhu (路竹) in Kaohsiung and Fuli (富里) in Hualien as power outages plunged 134,517 households into darkness nationwide, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA, 經濟部). Emergency crews worked frantically to restore electricity to 76,244 households while 58,273 remained without power awaiting urgent repairs.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA, 中央氣象署) Taiwan's national weather service tracked the typhoon center off Tainan's northwest coast as it continued its west-northwest trajectory toward mainland China. The storm's destructive influence still extended across Taitung, Hualien, Nantou, Miaoli, and Penghu counties, threatening millions of residents with dangerous conditions. The National Fire Agency (NFA, 消防署) confirmed that a 28-year-old man named Lin disappeared in Chiayi County's Budai (布袋) Township after powerful waves swept him away while fishing in a designated warning area.
President Lai conducted emergency video conferences with local leaders, expressing deep gratitude for their tireless efforts in managing the typhoon's devastating aftermath across affected regions. Taiwan's leader announced that most areas would regain electricity by evening, with remaining households expected to have power restored by noon Thursday. President Lai praised Taiwan Power Co. (TPC, 台電) Taiwan's state-owned utility company staff for their unwavering dedication during the crisis response operations. ◼
