Taipei, July 4 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian has directed his administrative team to gear up for post-disaster relief and rehabilitation, Presidential Office Deputy Secretary-General James Huang said Sunday.
Speaking at a news conference, Huang said Chen has demanded that his administration give top priority to rescuing those who remain missing after typhoon Mindulle wreaked havoc in eastern, central and southern Taiwan.
"President Chen is very concerned about the damage caused by typhoon-triggered flooding and mourns the heavy human casualties. In addition to calling for quick search and rescue of missing people, the president wants the administration to accelerate post-disaster rehabilitation, " Huang said, adding that the most urgent tasks include resuming power and water supplies and repairing telecommunications and transportation facilities in all flooded areas so that residents in the disaster zones can resume their normal lives.
In the past few days, Huang said, the president has been in close contact with Premier Yu Shyi-kun and various government departments responsible for disaster relief work. "Premier Yu immediately went to Chen's official residence to deliver a comprehensive report on the Cabinet's post-disaster relief operations after returning from an inspection tour of Hualien County earlier in the day, " Huang said.
According to Huang, Chen has directed the administration to offer the best possible compensation to the bereaved families of the typhoon victims and financial aid to those who were injured in the disaster. The government will also offer financial subsidies to farmers whose crops were damaged by floodwaters.
As the three-day national college entrance examination was held during the typhoon, some senior high school graduates, particularly those in the eastern Taitung-Hualien area, had to brave gusty winds and torrential rain to reach the exam sites.
Huang said Chen has instructed education authorities to adopt fair remedy measures for those whose rights have been affected by the typhoon.
Meanwhile, Huang said, the president telephoned Defense Minister Lee Jye Sunday to ask him to mobilize troops to assist in post-disaster relief and rehabilitation work, particularly in cleaning up the environment and in disinfection work.