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Heaviest rainfall expected this Friday, to persist until following week

Heavy rainfall continued on Tuesday with floods reported in many areas in Northern Taiwan, including in Taoyuan and Keelung. Fallen branches were posing a hazard to road users, though fortunately no casualties were reported. Although the rain may seem quite heavy already, the Central Weather Administration said it will be even heavier beginning on Friday.

A large branch has collapsed onto transmission cables. A maintenance team shortly arrives on scene to saw it off by hand, to remove the road safety hazard. The borough warden warns passers-by to stay away.

There seems to be no end to the heavy showers. In the morning, here on Zhonghe Road in Keelung, the branch had fallen all of a sudden. Fortunately, it did not land directly onto the street. But it’s still suspended over a bus stop, so a city councilor stepped in.

Shih Wei-jeng
Keelung City Councilor (DPP)
The branch did not fall all the way onto the ground, but it’s putting a lot of strain on the four high-voltage cables. It’s also right above a bus stop, so we treated the removal as an emergency.

Meanwhile, the heavy downpours have flooded the intersection of Lunhou Road and Heping West Road in Taoyuan’s Dayuan District.

With the water reaching the calves, it’s as if the streets have turned into streams. It’s difficult for cars to move through the flood. A city councilor is pictured shoveling mud for better drainage. He’s also reported the flooding to the district office, and it’s cleared in about an hour.

On the other side of town, shrubs above the side slope are collapsing onto the street below. Large amounts of mud and rocks are strewn all over the road surface on Section 3, Dakeng Road in Guishan District, near Weitian Temple. Fortunately, it did not hit any vehicle or passer-by. Plum rains brought in by the stationary front and strong southwesterly winds have left many places flooded in Northern Taiwan. Even though the weather front will soon move away, the south will still get heavy rainfall.

Wu Wan-hua
Central Weather Administration
Tomorrow, even though the weather front will move southward slightly, there will still be heavy rain or localized downpours in Central and Southern Taiwan, and mountainous areas of Hualien and Taitung. Another rainy spell will return in the north on Friday as the weather front moves southward above the Bashi Channel on Thursday. With the influence of the southwesterly winds again, this rainy spell will begin on Friday and persist until next Monday or Tuesday.

Even though the rain may seem quite heavy already, the heaviest is still yet to come near the end of the week and persist over the weekend.

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

#flood #rain #weather #heavyrain #taiwan

2026-06-09

Grab holds presser ahead of planned Taiwan expansion

Earlier this year, the leading food delivery company in Southeast Asia, Grab, announced plans to buy Delivery Hero’s foodpanda delivery business in Taiwan for NT$600 million. The deal has sparked concerns about a monopoly in the setor as Uber holds 13% of Grab’s equity. On Tuesday, Grab held a press conference, where it outlined three key pledges for its expansion in Taiwan. One key theme was fairness, by guaranteeing delivery rider income, and attracting delivery riders working on foodpanda to switch to Grab. Let’s hear more.

Yee Wee Tang
Grab
Taiwan has lot of urban, a very strong very dense urban-cut cities. The Taiwanese are very digitally savvy, all of them use mobile phones for their day to day. So we felt it’s very easy for a platform like us to come into Taiwan. I think our approach is always the same in every market: being affordable so that we can grow the market together and being sustainable to all parties. Our most important point today is Grab currently does not have any presence in Taiwan. We will be a new independent player in this market.

Seeing the potential business opportunities in Taiwan’s NT$57.6 billion food delivery market, Grab is reaching out of Southeast Asia for the first time. The platform says it will provide drivers with a stable income, and is pioneering a system to compensate drivers for waiting at restaurants for too long. The platform also incorporates AI-powered route planning and AI mentors to help riders analyze how they can boost their earnings. Grab’s acquisition of foodpanda is still under review at the Fair Trade Commission.

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

#grab #foodpanda #delivery #fooddelivery #uber

2026-06-09

Wealth god shrine next to Kaohsiung mall frequented by staff

Every department store hopes for stellar sales and crowds of shoppers. Next to the parking garage for a mall in Kaohsiung’s Caoya, a shrine to the God of Wealth was built especially for the staff. Employees stop by to pray before their shifts, asking for their counters to make good sales and see an endless flow of customers. The sight has become a unique feature of the shopping center.

While on her way to work, a retail employee stops by this God of Wealth shrine for a quick prayer. Before the mall doors open, staff stop by one after another to pay their respects.

Mall employee
Prays at shrine
I’ll stop by on my way to work. It’s become a habit to pray for the day to go well.

This shrine in Kaohsiung’s Caoya is in a unique spot, right next to a department store parking garage. It’s there for the exclusive use of the retail staff to pray for sales, making it known as the “mall god shrine.” With an altar full of snacks and other offerings, it’s easy to see how effective it is.

Mall employee
Prays at shrine
I’ll go whenever I can to pray for the mall’s sales to keep improving. Everyone goes.

This tiny shrine nestled right next to the mall is frequented by employees praying for booming business, making it a quirk of the neighborhood.

Down a small alley over in Sanmin District, there’s another Wealth God temple that’s also a must-go spot among locals looking for a little pocketbook assistance.

This temple houses the Martial God of Wealth who can help with sales, as well as the Civil God of Wealth for regular income and financial wisdom. Since it’s in the city center, many people working in sales-driven jobs come here to pay their respects.

Member of staff
Temple
We’ve gotten a very positive response online. A lot of young people come here to pray for wealth.

Although tucked away in an inconspicuous alley, locals will tell their neighbors to come pray for business prosperity and wealth, becoming a pre-work ritual for many local professionals.

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

#GodofWealth #shrine #temple #prayer #mall #departmentstore #Kaohsiung #retail #religion

2026-06-09

2,000 evacuated in mountains of Kaohsiung amid heavy rains

Heavy downpours continue to pound Taiwan. Over in Kaohsiung, authorities have issued 68 yellow alerts for landslides across mountainous areas. Police officers went door to door in vulnerable areas to help residents evacuate to shelters, with some 2,000 people relocated.

Over in Liugui, farmers were hard at work to minimize losses in the harvest season. They rushed to harvest wax apples and guavas and prevent the fruit from rotting in the rain. Betel nut farms were also hit hard, with many areas fully submerged in water. Farmers loaded as much fresh produce as they could to beat the bad weather. Concerned about their livelihoods, they say they hope the rains will let up soon.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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#agriculture #waxapple #kaohsiung #guava #fruits

2026-06-09

Taiwan to host international firefighter conference in 2030

At the end of May, National Fire Agency Director-General Hsiao Huan-chang led a delegation to Japan for the International Fire Chiefs’ Association of Asia General Conference. In a major diplomatic breakthrough for Taiwan, Hsiao came back with two pieces of good news. First, Taiwan will host the association’s General Conference in 2030. Second, in a first for Taiwan, the director-general of the National Fire Agency will assume the association’s vice presidency in 2028.

A firefighter marches onto the stage proudly displaying Taiwan’s national flag—a rare sight at official international conferences.

National Fire Agency Director-General Hsiao Huan-chang led a delegation to Nagoya, Japan, to participate in the International Fire Chiefs’ Association of Asia General Conference. He brought back two pieces of great news.

Hsiao Huan-chang
National Fire Agency Director-General
Taiwan will host the 36th IFCAA General Conference in 2030. In 2028, we will go to Tokyo, which is hosting the conference that year, and take over responsibilities for the following conference. The organizers in Tokyo have also expressed hope that Taiwan will serve as the association’s vice president in 2028.

This would mark the first time the association has selected a Taiwanese vice president. In 2030, fire chiefs from around the globe will gather in Taiwan for the group’s General Conference. These achievements show that the international community recognizes Taiwan’s disaster relief capabilities.

Hsiao Huan-chang
National Fire Agency Director-General
Taiwan and Japan are prone to typhoons, earthquakes, and floods. Last year, Taiwan even faced a tsunami warning. Our shared goal is to ensure that the lessons we have learned through experience and training are passed on, so that other countries don’t repeat the same mistakes.

Cho Kuan-ting
New Taipei City Councilor (DPP)
I think it’s incredibly moving. It’s a breakthrough for us in terms of diplomacy, firefighting, and disaster relief.

Taiwan’s firefighting and disaster relief capabilities are shining brightly on the international stage.

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

#Taiwan #IFCAA #Japan #diplomacy #firefighting #nationalflag #disasterrelief

2026-06-09

Gecko staying in incense burner becomes star of temple ritual

If you live in Taiwan, you’ve probably encountered a gecko at home at some point, but have you ever seen one chilling inside an incense burner? Worshippers at a temple in Donggang were surprised to see that last weekend. A gecko found a temporary home for itself inside the censer for two days. It held tight and steady to the big incense stick in the middle, only taking a break to let temple priests change the spent stick to a new one. Geckos are thought to bring good luck in Taiwan, and its presence at the temple has been interpreted as a good omen.

The temple is bustling with worshippers attending a religious ceremony. But one participant caught special attention: a gecko holding on perfectly still to an incense stick inside the burner. The reptile was there for a whole two days, surprising visitors. A priest says he’s never seen anything like it.

Lee Ming-cheng
Priest
It’s the first time I saw this, and at a celebration! The gecko was perched there during the rituals. When we changed the incense sticks, it took a rest and climbed back up on the fresh ones.

The temple in question is the Seven Dragon Temple in Donggang, which held an enshrinement ceremony last weekend. Worshippers quickly found the gecko grabbing on to the incense stick in the censer outside. When the stick was burned up, the reptile took a break at the bottom, but as soon as a new stick was placed, it climbed back up and clung on as before. Could it also be trying to reach the gods?

Mr. Chen
Priest
Generally, our religion says that all living beings have a spirit, each with their own spirituality. It came to this auspicious place and communicated with our goddess. It stayed and followed her.

Lee Ming-cheng
Priest
It’s like a guardian, like a good luck charm. When it appears in our homes, it’s protecting our homes. So if it’s on the incense, it’s guarding the ember.

Geckos are thought as lucky animals that protect the places they visit, and some say they ensure good fortune for those who let them stay.

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

#gecko #cute #goodluck #goodfortune #protection #animals #lizard

2026-06-09

Site manager of Matai’an Creek project rescued after 15 hours

On Monday noon, the manager for a sediment control dam project along Matai’an Creek in Hualien got washed away in the rain, just as he was driving to the site to evacuate a number of operators. He had only headed out when he suddenly called for help and became unreachable. Rescuers were notified and immediately began searching for him, but only found his off-road vehicle. Only after 9 p.m. was he spotted by a resident of a nearby village. With thermal imaging, he was eventually located and rescued, at almost 5 a.m. the next day.

A thermal imaging camera on a drone captured this thermogram of a person lying on a boulder.

The man, covered in mud, was pulled up onto a life raft. He seems to be conscious still. This is a site manager for Matai’an Creek’s post-disaster reconstruction. He had been missing for 15 hours.

Lu Yen-jung
Hualien County Fire Department
We saw an area with a high thermal gradient. As the device got closer and closer, the red dot gradually took the form of a human, which made us sure that it was the missing person over there.

On Monday afternoon, as water levels surged amid the rain, the site manager for a contracted improvement project along Matai’an Creek got washed away with his off-road vehicle just as he was heading over to the site to pick up excavator operators. He’d called for help on the walkie-talkie and became unreachable shortly after being on the road.

Rescuers initially traced his tracks downstream, where they’d found his vehicle. The car key was still on the switch, and his phone was still inside, but he was nowhere to be found.

At nine in the evening, he was finally spotted by a resident of Atomo. The young man had heard him crying for help and saw him stranded on a boulder. However, it took another six to seven hours for rescuers to wade through the shoal and get him out, at 4:39 a.m. the following day.

Voice of local resident
Atomo
I heard someone crying for help. It came from a distance. Once they were sure that someone was yelling, they went down to the shoal. He responded with calls of “Help me! Help!” They went back and forth about a dozen times before the voices stopped.

Hsu Tzu-herng
Head of ER, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital
He has scratches and bruises all over the body, from the muddy water and sediments. He also has mild cerebral hemorrhage from impact. We referred him to a neurosurgeon, who will check on him as he remains in hospital care.

There’s nearly 10km in distance between where he was reported missing and where he was rescued, after 15 hours of grueling struggle in the open.

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

#weather #rain #rescue #missing #hualien

2026-06-09

Two dead, two injured in suspected bento shop gas explosion

A suspected gas explosion at a bento shop in Hsinchu City claimed two lives in the early hours of Tuesday. The tragedy took place on Gaocui Road, where 11 explosions were counted in just 4 seconds. The huge force caused damaged all over the street, and collapsed a brick wall that crushed the couple living next door. The bento shop owner, who lives on the building’s third floor was injured, and so was another neighbor on the first floor of the house to the other side of the shop. Let’s hear more.

Kuo Peng-hsin
Borough warden
It seems the explosion happened at the bento shop, and it damaged the bakery next door.

Local
Lives nearby
They used to sell lamb stew there. It became a bento shop this year.

Lee Shih-kung
Hsinchu City Fire Bureau
The force of the explosion toppled a brick wall next door, which crushed a husband and wife who were sleeping. When we found them, they didn’t have any vital signs.

Due to the force of the explosion, fire fighters thought that there must have been more than one leaky gas canister. But another possibility is that the gas accumulated over a longer period inside the bento shop, causing a big bang. The exact cause of the incident is under investigation.

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

#gas #gasexplosion #hsinchu #bento

2026-06-09

Kaohsiung high schoolers gently capture iguana on campus

Students and staff responded quickly when a green iguana wandered onto their high-school campus in Kaohsiung. Led by the dean of student affairs, six students used plastic fruit crates to herd and corner the iguana, successfully capturing it without causing it any harm. When a video of the capture was posted online, people praised how the students handled the situation calmly and considered the iguana’s safety.

Several students hold blue fruit crates, closing in on a green iguana that wandered onto their high-school campus.

Under their teacher’s supervision, the students surround the iguana as it darts to the other side of the hallway. When they get close enough, one of them covers it with a crate.

The team cheers as they finally capture their unwanted guest. Led by the dean of student affairs, who has lots of experience with animals, these six students were able to quickly and gently capture the iguana.

Ling Tzu-yun
School secretary
The dean is involved with some animal protection groups like shelters, so he deals with these animals in a friendly way.

Member of public
Approves of approach
Since animals generally won’t attack people unprovoked, I think handling it this way protects yourself and the animal.

The school said this is the first time a green iguana has come onto their campus. It might have been trying to find a place to escape the heat.

Ling Tzu-yun
School secretary
Our crafts classroom is in the basement. Perhaps because the weather has been very hot recently, that underground area is relatively cool and shaded.

The school reported the incident to the Agriculture Bureau, which came to take the iguana away. These students showed that even unfamiliar situations can be handled with care.

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

#greeniguana #iguana #campus #school #students #animalprotection #capture #environment

2026-06-09

Girl put in full-body anesthesia after sticker earring gets lodged in ear

Stick-on earrings seem like a safe enough alternative to getting your kid’s ears pierced at a young age, but that doesn’t mean they are without risk. A 6-year-old girl found this the hard way recently, when she started feeling a discomfort inside her ear. Her mother took a peek inside and saw a glistening object lodged in the ear canal. She rushed her to the doctor to find that it was a stick-on earring that was dangerously close to the eardrum. To get it out, they had to put the kid under full-body anesthesia. Let’s hear more.

Mother
Daughter got sticker inside ear
The doctor said that the sticker was extremely close to the eardrum and couldn’t be pulled out. They were afraid that if they tried to pry it out, it could hurt the eardrum if she moved. When I saw it was a shiny red object, I guessed that it was something like this. I didn’t buy her the stickers, they were a gift she got at her cram school. I initially thought she had put it inside her ear on purpose, but she said she hadn’t. Maybe she tried to stick it on and it fell inside.

Lin Yung-zen
Pediatrician
If a sharp object punctures the eardrum, it can cause an infection. Over time, the body would secrete fluids and perhaps even form a membrane that covers up the entire object.

And sticker earrings aren’t the only hidden danger. Magnetic ball bearings are also quite popular as construction toys, but also quite dangerous for kids. A boy was recently reported to have swallowed 10 whole bearings, which became stuck together into a bar in his belly and ruptured a hole in his intestine. And you should also be very careful with water beads that swell when submerged in water. Another boy was also taken to the hospital after ingesting the beads, which swelled inside his body and blocked his guts.

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

#earring #accessory #jewel #sticker #magnet

2026-06-09