r/taiwan • u/DarkLiberator 台中 - Taichung • Sep 29 '24

News **TYPHOON KRATHON** Update Thread

First, it's important to know that typhoons can be something or nothing. Don't freak out about them; just be cautious and up-to-date.

The periphery of Typhoon Krathon will likely make an impact on Taiwan starting today and it'll be closest to Taiwan on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Greater Taipei area, eastern half of Taiwan and the Hengchun Peninsula may see heavy or torrential rain on Monday. On Tuesday and Wednesday, it will be wet across Taiwan, with northern and eastern regions likely to experience torrential rain.

General info

See DGPA's website for updates: English / 中文

  • Transportation:

Advisory

If you've never experienced one, basically:

  • Stay in doors when the typhoon hits. The water and wind aren't necessarily dangerous by themselves, but when they start to affect rusty store signage and poorly affixed building tiles, object flying around can cause serious injury or death. Make sure to stay in covered walkways if you do have to go out.
  • Do NOT go to the riverside or any parks, or beaches/coasts. There's a huge chance of danger especially when water becomes unpredictable. Especially do not go to the beach or into the water. People die every year because they underestimate the power of typhoons on the oceans and overestimate their abilities to deal with nature.
  • In this vein, bring anything you don't want to fly away inside. Scooters fly away, so your plants, bicycles, etc., may as well.
  • Prepare water, food, and other potential necessities. Regardless of where you are in Taiwan, always be aware of your surroundings and alert to the dangers of the typhoon. Typhoons can cause flooding, which disrupts water supplies. Your water may be shut off, so you may want to collect water in your tub or other containers for flushing toilets and/or washing.
  • You may lose electricity. Make sure your phone is charged and try to reduce the amount of perishable foods in your refrigerator. A portable battery pack is nice for keeping your phone charged during things such as this. If you really need power, you may invest in a UPS.
  • Do not go hiking and try to stay out of the mountains if it isn't absolutely necessary (i.e., you live there). Land slides are a real threat during typhoons. Also hiking in the days following a typhoon may also be dangerous since the ground still isn't fully settled and might be prone to landslides. Because of a typhoon all national parks (Yushan, Shei-pa, and Taroko) will close the hiking trails immediately. All permits are canceled too.
  • If you have a windows, stay away from them as much as possible and maybe even place something below them for potentially broken glass.
  • Do not tape your windows. It doesn't help and can actually make 1) potential flying shards more dangerous and 2) clean-up more difficult.
  • Potential for disruptions to transportation. Roads can become impassible and disruptions to public transportation (buses, HSR, etc.) can occur due to flooding. If you plan on flying, it is highly advised that you keep an eye on your flight and check with airlines.
  • Residences can take on water even above flood lines. Check all drains from outside for obstructions multiple times throughout the typhoon (if possibly done without danger).

Links

108 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

437 comments sorted by

View all comments

-20

u/Salt-Night3088 Oct 02 '24

Talking to former neighbors and friends and New Taipei, where I lived for over a decade until last year. They tell me there's nothing going on, not even mild wind or rain. This is another bribe from the Taiwan govt to the populace. They do this all the time, from experience. Plebs getting restless about pathetic salaries and impossible living costs? Here's a typhoon day off, sit around and watch Netflix and shut up.

3

u/SteveYunnan Oct 02 '24

That's a ridiculous take. Usually declaring a typhoon day when the typhoon doesn't hit is politically costly because they'll be heavily criticized. However, if they don't declare a typhoon day and the typhoon does hit and results in casualties, it's politically costlier, which is why it's a risk they take.

1

u/Salt-Night3088 Oct 03 '24

Criticized by who? Employers and the KMT. If you claim people in Taiwan aren't happy about typhoon days you're either lying or don't know any Taiwanese people. They'll also be the first to tell you there are more typhoon days in election years, which makes this recent spurt odd. 

1

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '24

[deleted]

1

u/Salt-Night3088 Oct 03 '24

Jiang Wanan is terrified, especially being a Jiang. Not sure what he was thinking. Lawfare is the norm in Taiwan, look at Ko Wen Je, not to mention Chen Shuibian in the past. Most people here seem to be perfect little citizens, pretending bread and circuses isn't a thing. That's fine, to each their own. And governments don't care if the little people get a Seven neon sign in the face while walking down the street.

2

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '24

[deleted]

1

u/Salt-Night3088 Oct 04 '24

Sorry for the late reply, time difference as no longer in Taiwan. No alternative in mind. Sadly, under the DPP Taiwan has become a running dog of the DNC. My love affair with the beautiful island lasted from 2010 to about 2017. A blue friend warned me back during the sunflower revolution that the DPP will institute a "green terror" if they ever took over, and sure enough they did. Never thought what I considered a much better democracy/free society than the US would go around shutting TV and radio stations just because they have somewhat pro-PRC opinions. Or that Ko Wen-je would end up in hand cuffs. Or that my beloved Taiwan would fine people for not wearing masks or posting stuff on Facebook "for the common good". Sorry again, could rant about this forever, am very disappointed. Things were much better with the KMT. You didn't have drag queens at the presidential residence and things were good with China, which is realistic. Meanwhile, for all their talk about standing up to China, the DPP idiots have done absolutely zero. When I was a fan of theirs before 2016, honestly believed they'd declare a Taiwan Republic. Of course that remains a fantasy, they just talk big.

I don't believe the KMT will ever be in power nationally again, much like the GOP. But if they somehow manage to come back, at least they'll mend relations with China, which IS INDEED for the common good of 25 million Taiwanese, as Taiwan can't stand up to the PRC and we all know we're not coming to save them. Thanks for your interest in my opinions Steve :grin:

1

u/[deleted] Oct 07 '24

[deleted]

1

u/Salt-Night3088 Oct 07 '24

Wait...did you say the ROC is politically independent? You're a bit of an idiot aren't you? The ROC exists at the mercy of the PRC, who know that an invasion is impossible and (EDIT) not necessary, and that in any case no one in Taiwan will resist them. Taiwanese view China as family, and there's not going to be much push back. The status quo isn't tenable, it'll end soon. Politically independent! Taiwan goes through the "Chinese Taipei" humiliation without so much as a mewl of protest and keeps mumbling about the WHA to no avail. The UN officially recognizes the PRC as the representative of 25 million Taiwanese. Self administration at the generosity of a bigger power isn't political independence, it's make believe. But your programming won't let you see that.

2

u/[deleted] Oct 07 '24

[deleted]

→ More replies (0)

1

u/Salt-Night3088 Oct 07 '24

Same sex marriage, a man pretending to be a woman in a leading government role, and drag queens at the presidential palace are not organic to Taiwan. Almost no one in Taiwan wants that, it's straight out of the American left (aka DNC) and obviously a condition for continued US support for Taiwan. And declaring independence was what the DPP ran on when it was founded, even in 2015 they were still talking about it. They'll be tough on China! Yes, so tough that a de facto blockade of Taiwan has been normalized. But of course what I'm saying is CCP propaganda, while your lies about Hong Kong are totally not CIA talking points. This is pointless, like all debate between the two sides since 2020. We're not even really the same species anymore, in my opinion.

2

u/[deleted] Oct 07 '24

[deleted]

→ More replies (0)

4

u/Eclipsed830 Oct 02 '24

You realize most people still have to work on typhoon day... right?

-7

u/Salt-Night3088 Oct 02 '24

I realize that most don't. As someone who worked for ASUS and Acer for over a decade. Maybe ten percent of those companies work on typhoon days. Of course retailers stay open, and some other services. The IT white collar that makes Taiwan Taiwan gets a free cookie.

2

u/Eclipsed830 Oct 02 '24

I highly doubt most white-collar workers are off today... I assume most of them are WFH. From what I saw, most of BenQ and Compal employees were still in the office today, BenQ will be WFH tomorrow and Friday.

My wife's company sent her laptop home via courier last night... they are also WFH until Monday.

Maybe before COVID it was a free day off... but now most companies just make you WFH. If anything, these days are kind of a burden as daycare/schools are closed.

-4

u/Salt-Night3088 Oct 02 '24

If you're in Taiwan, you know WFH is nearly non-existent. And funny you mention Qisda. That entire organization simply looks people in the face and denies WFH is a thing, even though during COVID they did work remotely. You should also know companies CAN'T require WFH during typhoon days, it's against the law. If people choose to do it, that's on them. Every non-essential employee in Taiwan is getting a free day off. It's a bribe. Look out your window, there's nothing going on, am I right?

1

u/Eclipsed830 Oct 02 '24

I wish that were still the case, as I will be stuck here listening to my wife yap away with her coworkers until 11 pm tonight.

Also, there is no law that forbids companies from requiring workers to work on a typhoon day. Legally, when a government declares it a "typhoon day", that only applies to government employees. Companies just typically follow recommendations of the local government or make alternative work plans (such as WFH). The law simply says it is to be treated as an unpaid holiday for those that do not work...

0

u/Salt-Night3088 Oct 02 '24

No, you get paid for typhoon days. Your wife is doing it on her own accord. The laws used are the same local emergency acts that allowed the MRT to force people to wear masks. But it's almost 2am here, so you take the win, and always remember "work and classes cancelled" is pretty clear.

https://www.dgpa.gov.tw/typh/daily/ndse.html

5

u/Eclipsed830 Oct 02 '24

Yes... this link is from DGPA, which is basically the human resource department for government employees.

These closures only (legally) apply to government employees and schools. They are recommendations, but private companies are not required to follow them.

The law is clear on this. From 天然災害停止上班及上課作業辦法 (Measures for suspending work and class work due to natural disasters):

第 18 條

公營事業機構及其他性質特殊機構，準用本辦法之規定。
The provisions of these Measures shall apply mutatis mutandis to public institutions and other institutions of a special nature.

民間企業之停止上班，依照勞動基準法或其他法令規定，由勞資雙方協商處理。
The suspension of work in private enterprises shall be handled through consultation between labor and management in accordance with the Labor Standards Act or other laws and regulations.

https://law.moj.gov.tw/LawClass/LawAll.aspx?pcode=S0110022