TIAC PRESIDENT FIRED:A PCC probe concluded that the failure to promptly close a floodgate explained why the terminal’s basement was inundated with floodwater
Taiei Times
Date: Jun 07, 2016
By: Shelley Shan / Staff reporter
Flooding that severely disrupted the operation of the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on
Public Construction Commission Minister Wu Hong-mo, left, announces the findings of an investigation into the recent flooding at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport at a news conference at the Executive Yuan in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
Thursday last week was caused by a blockage in one of the airport’s draining pipelines that prevented the rapid discharge of floodwater into the Pusin River (埔心溪), an investigation by the Public Construction Commission (PCC) showed.
“Soft gravel accumulated in a box culvert at one end of Pipeline H, making it difficult to discharge floodwater into the river and subsequently leading to flooding in the airport,” PCC Minister Wu Hong-mo (吳宏謀) said, adding that Taoyuan International Airport Corp (TIAC) failed to respond to the disaster in a timely manner.
The findings were made public at a news conference at the Executive Yuan in Taipei yesterday, which was broadcast live online.
Wu said the three-day investigation showed that accumulated rainfall during a thunderstorm on Thursday morning reached 15.1cm, adding that the airport’s draining system is designed to be able to handle that amount. [FULL STORY]
