The devastation wrought by Typhoon Morakot last August led to the resignation of former Premier Liu Chao-shiuan.

To prevent the recurrence of a similar tragedy, the Executive Yuan is scheduled to hold a series of large-scale disaster response drills from late March, pooling the resources of central and local governments as well as the armed forces.

The military has listed disaster response as one of its core drill items for the first time this year in its annual massive-scale Han Kuang exercise.

The following are excerpts from local media coverage of the issue: United Daily News:

Executive Yuan sources said large-scale disaster prevention and response drills will be held between March 26 and April 30, with Minister of the Interior Jiang Yi-huah taking the helm of a provisional central command center.

All relevant central government agenices will post officials at the command center, the sources said, adding that a computer simulation will be held late this month at the start of the training drill.

One of the training exercises will test how the Water Resorces Agency, the Taipei City and County governments and the National Fire Agency will react if precipitation in the upper stretch of the Keelung River exceeds 1,000 millimeters, the sources said.

In the process, the sources said, military servicemen will be called up to help evacuate residents in the river’s upper stretch in the shortest possible period of time.

Senior officials said disaster prevention and response training and preparations must be completed before the arrival of the typhoon season in May.

With critical mayoral elections in five special municipalities scheduled to take place late this year, the officials said, the administrative team has no room for any missteps or flaws in disaster relief and response. (March 14, 2010). Liberty Times:

President Ma Ying-jeou annoucned in his latest weekly online adminsitration diary that disaster response has been listed as one of the military’s core missions.

While combat is the military’s traditional mission, Ma said the country probably will not engage in war with an enemy in the foreseeable future.

“But natural disasters are also our enemies. They are broad-defined challenges, ” Ma wrote in the administration diary posted on the Internet Saturday.

He urged all three military branches to brace themselves for emergency disaster response at any time.

The president further said he will direct the Executive Yuan to conduct a series of disaster response drills from April, including evacuating residents in disaster zones to nearby military barracks. (March 14, 2010). (By Sofia Wu)

More Info: http://www.taiwanheadlines.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=182587&CtNode=39