Taiwan Promises US$30 Million for Orchid Island Typhoon Recovery

Taiwan’s central government has promised US$30 million to improve infrastructure on Orchid Island in the wake of a devastating typhoon.

Transcript

00:00 Checking in on the rehabilitation, Taiwan Premier Chen Zhenren visits the country's

00:05 outlying Orchid Island, two months after a record-breaking typhoon brought widespread

00:10 devastation to the 5,000 people living here.

00:13 "The typhoon has caused a lot of damage, but we can see that the people are still optimistic

00:20 and brave to face the disaster recovery."

00:24 Koynu's 200km/h winds sunk boats, destroyed homes and businesses, knocked out communication

00:29 networks and brought down power lines, leaving people without electricity for days.

00:35 More than 100 streetlights here are still out of action.

00:39 Now Taiwan's central government has promised US$30 million to protect against similar disasters

00:44 in the future.

00:45 "We expect to put all the power in the south China sea in the future."

00:51 But some residents are sceptical.

00:53 They faced agonising delays in importing the materials and manpower needed to rebuild their

00:58 homes after Koynu.

01:00 Bad weather often makes the two-hour ferry ride from the mainland impossible.

01:04 The government has long promised to upgrade infrastructure, but people here say they haven't

01:09 always kept their word.

01:10 "We hope the central government will take care of the public works in the south China

01:16 sea, including road construction and underground power generation."

01:21 In the summer months, hundreds of thousands of tourists flock to Orchid Island, bringing

01:26 a livelihood to the people on this far-flung part of Taiwan.

01:30 But at this time of year, as the temperature drops and the wind picks up, visitors stay

01:34 away.

01:36 Life is often difficult here, and despite assurances from the national government to

01:40 help make it easier, the islanders say they've become accustomed to fending for themselves.

01:47 Andy Schwer and Rick Lowat for Taiwan Plus.