Czech hikers stranded in Taroko to wait storm out in mountain

Czech hikers stranded in Taroko to wait storm out in mountain

2024-10-31

Two missing hikers have been located in Taroko, after several days of failed contact attempts. The hikers are a husband-and-wife from the Czech Republic, who had set off to climb Mount Qilai on Oct. 27. With the approach of the typhoon, park authorities tried called them numerous times to no avail, raising concerns about their wellbeing. Finally, contact was made on Thursday afternoon, and the hikers say they have enough food with them to wait the storm out in a hut on the mountain. Let’s hear from park authorities.

Voice of Lin Chung-pin
Taroko National Park Headquarters
We got into contact with the Czech hikers at 1:45 p.m. on Thursday. They are indeed in Taroko National Park and are sheltering in place until the storm is over. From the satellite signal, they are somewhere near the Yuewang pavilion. They have food and water, and a tent. They are just soaked because of the wind and the rain.

Voice of Wu Chao-yuan
Hualien County Fire Department
The wind is quite strong and there is heavy rain. In addition, the Cross-Island Highway is blocked, so our units are on standby. Once the weather permits we will dispatch a helicopter to lift them out.

The Instagram accounts of the stranded hikers are full of pictures and videos of the couple’s hiking adventures around the world, showing they are experienced mountaineers. Unfortunately this climb in Taiwan has turned out to be tougher than they bargained for and now they can only wait to get rescued.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

攀登奇萊山一度失聯太管處終聯繫上捷克夫妻"就地避難"

2024-10-31

芮颱風襲台，驚傳有山友失聯！來自捷克的夫妻檔因熱愛登山，10月27日從太魯閣登山，要攀登奇萊山，沒想到遇到強颱，太管處緊急連絡兩人，兩天以來打了許多通電話，都聯繫不上。最新的消息是，太管處終於連絡上兩人，目前糧食足夠，人也平安，暫時在山上的樹屋就地避難。

[[聲源：太魯閣國家管理處副處長林忠杉]]
“(31日)下午1點45分，用電話有聯繫上，捷克的登山山友，那確定在太管處的山區，就地避難。經過衛星點位，坐標定位大概在岳王亭上方，食物跟水跟帳篷都有，只是說因為被颱風豪雨，這個淋濕了這樣”

[[聲源：花蓮消防局長吳兆遠]]
“現在風強雨大，而且台八線目前不通，所以我們目前，就是在分隊待命，只要天候許可，我們會立即出動，直升機也會一起來出動，執行吊掛的勤務”

IG上，滿滿都是登山露營美照，看得出捷克籍夫妻檔多熱愛登山活動，只是沒想到，這回來台登山，就遇到強颱，人目前平安，只能就地避難、等待救援。

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On Thursday morning, President Lai Ching-te presided over a Central Emergency Operation Center meeting for Typhoon Kong-rey, which is sweeping over the island. Lai held a video conference with mayors from six counties and cities, including New Taipei, Kaohsiung, Yilan, Hualien, Taitung, and Pingtung, to understand the status of disaster prevention preparations.

In response to the approaching Typhoon Kong-rey, President Lai Ching-te convened early at the Central Emergency Operation Center for a video conference with local leaders to assess the status of disaster prevention measures.

Voice of Hou Yu-ih
New Taipei mayor
We need to strengthen the protection of all exposed slopes and improve drainage construction around the construction sites, as well as enhance the stabilization of structures currently under construction.

Voice of Chen Chi-mai
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In areas that are more likely to become isolated, we have a total of 444 evacuation shelters prepared. We have also completed the preparation of supplies, which will last for approximately 14 to 21 days.

Counties and cities, including New Taipei, Kaohsiung, Pingtung, and Taitung, have been reporting their preparation status. The president also inquired individually if any local governments needed assistance from the central government.

Lai Ching-te also expressed his gratitude to the military for their assistance and extended special greetings to the civic organizations participating in the disaster emergency operation center meeting for the first time.

Lai Ching-te
President
The military has activated first-level response measures, which hasn’t happened before. I thank the Tzu Chi Hospital team for coming to participate in the central emergency operation center meeting. I hope this model can continue in the future. Every time a typhoon hits, even amid danger, some people still go to the coast to watch the waves, and such risky behavior must be avoided.

The president urges the public to cooperate with disaster prevention efforts to avoid putting themselves and rescue personnel in danger.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

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New wind records at Hehuanshan, tall waves on Provinicial Highway 9

Kong-rey has broken records in Hehuanshan, with wind speeds of more than 200km/h on Thursday morning. The strong winds have caused damage to infrastructure at the mountain, ripping off the roofing of Songsyue Lodge and knocking over equipment. Over in Taitung, big waves of up to 10m have been crashing against the shore, leaving debris all over Provincial Highway 9.

Strong winds have blown off the metal roof at Songsyue Lodge in Hehuanshan. Car park equipment lies strewn on the ground along with payment machines.

The camera sways violently in the gust. The signal is shaky, and sometimes the image cuts off altogether. Internet uses joked that it’s like watching a livestream all the way from Mars. While others cheered on for the hardware withstanding the storm.

The weather monitoring station at Hehuanshan registered winds of more than 149km/h in the early hours of Thursday. And they only got stronger. By 7 a.m., wind speeds had reached more than 184km/h, and at 8 a.m. they even surpassed 200km/h.

Chang Yung-cheng
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These wind gusts are incredible; they broke a record from 2008 and a historical record for the station. They also surpassed the record set by Topical Storm Compasu in 2021, which had winds of at least 166km/h.

Wu Jui-chieh
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Hehuanshan is currently experiencing severe wind and rain, for everyone’s safety, we urge the public to not go up the mountain during the typhoon.

Taitung was one of the first areas struck by Kong-rey, which created waves up to 10m tall that swept over the breakwater at Fugang Fishing Harbor.

The South Link Highway section on Provincial Highway 9 is covered in driftwood, sand and other debris brought over by the waves, which almost reach up to the road. Motorists proceed slowly and with care.

Up ahead, it’s just gray. Amid low visibility, Jinlun Bridge has been closed off, and police have been stationed at the scene to divert traffic.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

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Charity art auction raises awareness of Rett Syndrome

Now for a charitable project in Kaohsiung. The 2024 Asia Illustration Art Fair will open on Christmas Eve in Kaohsiung. This year, a special oil painting auction will feature, raising money for the Rett Syndrome Association. The project was launched by students and parents from two of Kaohsiung’s international schools. They’re hoping to auction off 100 self-painted artworks, and raise awareness about the rare medical condition, Rett Syndrome.

The tables are lined with colorful oil paintings. Everyone here is contributing to the 2024 Asia Illustration Art Fair in Kaohsiung.

Hugo Wang
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I’ve been volunteering for the Rett Association for a few years, and I want to use this charity event to raise awareness about Rett Syndrome, which is a rare disease.

The project is the baby of Hugo Wang, a student at I-Shou International School. He’s working with students and parents from his school as well as Kaohsiung American School. Their oil painting auction is expected to sell about 100 paintings. All the proceeds will go to the Rett Association. It’s been one challenge after another, from painting the artwork itself to designing posters to promote the event. But the team has taken it all in stride, focusing on their intention to raise awareness about this little-known condition.

Hong Lai
Exhibition organizer
One day, my mom told me there was this event that’s hoping to help people with this condition. And I looked up the disease, and I saw how pitiful it is, and how much help they need. I was moved. So I wanted to use my capacities to help.

There are just 184 people with Rett Syndrome in Taiwan. Huang Wei-hsiang, the secretary general of the Taiwan Rett Syndrome Association, has a daughter with the condition. Its onset began when she was one and a half. By five years old, she developed epilepsy, and many of her capacities began to regress. She needs help to eat food, and now finds walking difficult.

Huang Wei-hsiang
Taiwan Rett Syndrome Association
This condition is rare, the rarest of rare. One in thousands. We hope this auction will make more people aware of our situation and reach out to help us.

Many parents brought their kids to the event to have fun painting together, while cultivating the spirit of charity. They hope this message will be passed on to everyone who attends the auction.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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The legal and religious implications of the latest trend: urban treasure hunts

Urban treasure hunts are the latest trend on social media. People are leaving small items like money or cinema tickets hidden in out-of-the-way spots on the street. They upload a video of the spot where the treasure is hidden to social media, then hide out to watch treasure hunters descend. It’s a trend that’s already made lots of fans. But some have asked whether there are hidden issues with the game. Could there be legal ramifications? And how does the game fit in with Taiwanese religious traditions, some of which put taboos on picking up money from the street? We spoke to a lawyer and a religious expert to learn more.

A NT$100 bill is folded into a love heart, then left in a traffic cone. Nobody is around, but the camera pans the location to give us some clues as to where it is.

Treasure hunter
I was wondering if it was fake or not. But I watched them a long time and saw people did find the treasures. So one time they posted a story, and I happened to be nearby, so I thought I’d go and take a look, and I found the treasure. That made me happy.

Instagram users post videos like this to start treasure hunts, hiding money for their followers to find. Then the user hides nearby to capture footage of the hunters looking.

Treasure hunter
When they’re planted the treasure, and uploaded the video, they hide far off, or in a vehicle, to secretly film the treasure hunters. Maybe it’s for the views or something.

These urban treasure hunts are littered with clues meant to help the hunters. But some ask whether picking up the hidden money could infringe laws relating to lost property.

Yang Meng-fan
Lawyer
The initiator of the hunt is expecting non-specific persons to come and pick up the items, whether Instagram followers or other people. But they’re expecting a non-specific number of people to go and pick up the money, so there wouldn’t be any kind of legal problem with it.

Okay, so legally it’s fine. But what about folk customs and religious taboos? Could there be any chance of accidentally crossing traditional boundaries?

Yang Teng-ko
Folk divination expert
The hiding of the money and its retrieval are only happening to increase views on the channel, or to have fun. There hasn’t been any magic done by a Taoist master, so it won’t cause any kind of “overabundance of luck” problem.

Treasure hunts, fine. But this expert in folk religion warns it’s different if you find a red packet on the street – steer clear in that case.

Yang Teng-ko
Folk divination expert
The saying goes, “Take someone’s money, solve their disaster.” It’s common, an “overabundance of luck.” A Taoist master will do some magic, and a talisman of sickness or calamity passes to the person who picked up the money. Another thing is that a random red packet could rope you into a “ghost marriage.”

But these urban treasure hunts are inviting the right person to come find them. Some treasures are money, others are cinema tickets, limited-edition signed cards and other fun items. Who knows when the treasure hunt will come to your neighborhood?

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Tiantou is a champion potato village. So the idea was the professors would think of some tricks to help everyone out.

Mashed potato can be dyed all colors and made into lots of shapes. Students even use laser sculpting technology to add color to the potato after it’s been piped into an image.

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They laser sculpt onto the toast, drawing using an outline. That makes it less technically difficult.

A simple potato can be made into a thousand shapes. That boosts the local economy but also brings the creativity of the local community to a wider audience.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

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