HENGCHUN REPORTS STRONGEST WIND GUSTS IN 120 YEARS|恆春最大陣風16級 創當地120年紀錄

Hengchun was closest to the center of Typhoon Meranti this time. On September 14, it observed a historic maximum gusts of 52.2 meters per second over the past 120 years. Many roofs were blown off. A total of 36 people had to ask for help and were placed at the township office. Although the wind began to wane in the afternoon, the rain started to increase and resulted in flooding in some areas. Water runoff was seen in some parts of the Provincial Highway 26 that connects Hengchun and Kenting. The water was from Lane 862 Nanwan Road where flood water was over 40 centimeters. ==HENGCHUN RESIDENT== My friend is still stuck there. The phone doesn't work. It's flooded there, and I haven't found my friend. Some residents were stuck in the lane as cars were unable to go in or out. The torrential rain started at noon. Floods were knee-deep in some areas in Longshui and Shanjiao villages. Fortunately, the flood started to recede in the afternoon. The strong winds brought by the typhoon have also wreaked havoc. An ambulance nearly flipped over as it went through Nanwan. Water sports facilities in this area were also damaged. ==WATER SPORTS OPERATOR, Nanwan== We took down some of the equipment yesterday and put it over there in the car park. I can't believe that the waves reached this far. The strong winds have caused damage to houses. A mother and her son were rescued by firefighters from their house whose roof was partially blown off and metal roller shutter unable to function because of a power outage. ==MRS. CHEN, HENGCHUN== The roof was blown off. I also heard sounds of breaking glass from the windows. The strong winds have slowed down rescues and kept the firefighters busy all morning. Are there any other emergency calls? Just received new ones. More are coming in. Within just one day, 36 people whose houses were destroyed by the typhoon were placed at the township office. Sheet metal houses, utility poles, and signboards were also damaged. Cars were blown over. Residents are waiting for the typhoon to leave, to get started with post-disaster recovery. TRANSLATED BY：LUKE CHIANG 恆春通往墾丁的省道台26線，中途不斷有急流湧進車道，水就來自這條南灣路862巷，積水最深的地方，超過40公分。 ==恆春居民== 我朋友在裡面啊 受困啊 電話都打不通 我要進去那邊都淹水了 也沒有看到啊 車輛無法進出，導致有住戶暫時受困在巷子裡。颱風暴風圈掃過恆春半島，中午前後的雨勢最急，包括龍水里、三腳里都有部分路段淹水及膝，幸好下午雨勢減緩，淹水開始退去，但颱風帶來最大16級的陣風，破壞力更驚人，一輛救護車經過南灣，差點被巨浪打翻，現場遊憩設施，也被打得四散各地，路上都是海沙。 ==南灣水上遊憩業者== 我們原本是昨日做防颱準備 卸下來 放在對面那個停車位 海浪竟然可以把它打到對面來 強風也破壞多戶民宅，一早天剛亮，恆春鎮樹林巷一戶民宅屋頂，就被吹掀一半，鐵捲門停電也打不開，消防人員趕到後徒手把門拉開，才救出一對受困的母子。 ==陳媽媽== 整個掀起來 我聽 還有玻璃全破了 砰砰響 風大到搶救過程寸步難行，但整個早上，消防人員救完一戶，又要趕去另一戶。 一天下來鎮公所總共安置36名因房子被颱風吹壞而受困的民眾，路上還有更多被吹壞的鐵皮屋，電線桿和招牌，連汽車都被吹得四腳朝天，滿目瘡痍的街道，居民要等著脫離暴風圈後，好好清理家園。 記者 王介村 孟昭權 SNG小組 屏東報導