In an effort to bolster regional flood resilience, the Water Resources Bureau of the Taichung City Government has made remarkable strides in fostering self-dependent disaster prevention within local communities. Wufu Village earned the “Seed Community” distinction in the 2023 National Self-Dependent Flood Prevention Community Evaluation, organized by the Water Resources Agency under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, with the Wufeng District Office also recognized for its performance. During a municipal meeting held today (29th), Mayor Lu Hsiu-Yen presented certificates of appreciation, commending these communities for their hard work and commitment. She hopes that Wufu Village’s valuable experience and spirit will serve as an example that guides other Taichung communities toward enhanced self-dependent disaster prevention.
Water Resources Bureau Director Fan Shih-I noted that Taichung City has been advancing self-dependent flood prevention efforts in local communities since 2012, helping establish 68 communities with this focus. Annually, the bureau not only offers a variety of disaster prevention training but also assists communities in conducting drills based on their unique environmental and risk profiles, equipping them with essential disaster response knowledge and skills. Taichung’s communities have consistently excelled in national evaluations, with 13 receiving awards last year—among them, 3 earned “Excellent” status, 6 were rated “A-grade,” and 3 received “Special Contribution” honors. Wufu Village stood out with the highest “Seed Community” distinction, placing Taichung among the top-performing cities nationwide.
The Water Resources Bureau noted that Wufu Village’s active flood prevention measures and its community mobilization efforts are exemplary. The village has devoted extensive endeavors to self-dependent disaster prevention, including initiating flood prevention tasks during typhoons and heavy rains, conducting disaster awareness programs at Wufu Elementary School, offering bilingual disaster prevention guidance for foreign workers, and hosting knowledge-sharing events with other self-dependent disaster prevention communities. They fully demonstrated their responsibilities as a Seed Community. Notably, Deputy Commander Lai invented a patented nighttime flood warning device to enhance road safety for residents, earning widespread recognition from the central government and many communities.
In response to global climate change and the limits of government resources, the Water Resources Bureau emphasized the invaluable potential of community involvement. They hope that Wufu Village’s disaster prevention experience and spirit will motivate other Taichung’s communities to strengthen their disaster prevention efforts and self-dependent disaster prevention capabilities. The bureau will continue to foster self-dependent disaster prevention within local communities by enhancing their disaster prevention knowledge and flood control capabilities, as well as improving the city’s water management practices, such as river dredging, maintenance, and dike fortification. These improvements aim to create high-quality, sustainable water infrastructure with educational value. By combining structural improvements with community-based initiatives, the bureau strives to achieve synergy, reducing the risks from typhoons and heavy rains, safeguarding public property, and making Taichung a disaster-resilient and safe city to live in. (10/29*16)*Water Resources Bureau
Contact Person: Ms. Chen, Disaster Prevention Center, Water Resources Bureau, Taichung City Government
Contact Number: 04-22289111 ext. 53710