The media and a typhoon

(Thanks to TODAY)
Typhoon Morakot and the media storm
05:55 AM Aug 20, 2009
by Danny Lee dannylee@mediacorp.com.sg Channel NewsAsia

TAIWANESE President Ma Ying-jeou's popularity hit an all-time low
yesterday amid public anger over his government's slow response to
Typhoon Morakot, a day after he and other senior officials apologised to
the people. Taiwanese media noted that Mr Ma bowed for almost 10 seconds
in his public apology but added that many remain unimpressed with the
gesture.
Poor Mr Ma. After declaring his administration's incompetence in the
relief operations, it is obvious the Taiwanese media want nothing less
than to see heads roll. Several newspapers and television channels have
helped fan the public anger by continuously harping on the government's
slow reaction to the disaster.
Defence Minister Chen Chao-min and Cabinet Secretary general Hsueh
Hsiang-chuan yesterday offered their resignations, after Deputy Foreign
Minister Andrew Hsia quit on Monday. Premier Liu Chao-shiuan, who
declined to confirm if he had also offered to quit, said he would decide
next month whether to accept the resignations.
But it is still unclear if that will appease the public.
Mr Ma's approval rating fell to 16 per cent - a dive of 25 percentage
points from a TVBS poll in June and the lowest since he took office last
year.
Speaking to local and foreign media on Tuesday, the President admitted
that rescue operations could have been faster and better co-ordinated.
He also explained that relief teams had been hampered by severe weather
conditions in the first four days of the storm.

Dumping close to 3 metres of rain on four southern counties of Pingtung,
Taitung, Chiayi and Kaohsiung, Typhoon Morakot exceeded the island's
previous rainfall record by an entire metre. It also swept the island
with winds of 165 kmh, with gusts of up to 200 kmh, while triggering
massive landslides.
Experts ranging from geologists to engineers agree that none of the
island's disaster prevention measures could have helped avoid the
devastation.
"Taiwan's prevention systems were based on the measurements made between
the past 30 to 50 years. The problem is natural disasters have gotten
more severe, and these have exceeded the capacities of public
infrastructure," Geologist Chen Wen-Shan told Channel NewsAsia.
Up to now, more than a week after the typhoon left Taiwan, torrential
downpours and raging rivers are still hampering rescue efforts.

Fortunately, the quick reaction of rescue workers and much lower water
levels have helped prevent further casualties.
It would have been obvious that in the first few days of the storm, the
worst-affected areas were totally inaccessible to anything or anyone.
Helicopters could not fly, boats and amphibious vehicles would have been
swept, and anyone on foot would have been buried.
"If Ma Ying-jeou had tried to visit the stricken areas, we would be
preparing for a state funeral today," said a caller to cable TV station
CTI. As it is, two policemen, three helicopter crew and a volunteer
rescue worker, have died in the operations. If the authorities had caved
in to the media's demand for action, more would have died.

To avoid angering survivors and out of respect for the deceased, few
Taiwanese media and none of the foreign media have questioned those who
refused to evacuate.
According to TVBS-News, between 11pm on Aug 7, and 5am on Aug 11,
authorities issued 16 red alerts to Hsiao-lin village in Kaohsiung
county. But it did not order an explicit evacuation.
"If a tiger enters a classroom or school today, do you need the
principal to issue the order before you run?" another viewer asked CTI.

As the situation stabilises, there is a definite need for Mr Ma to
review the nation's rescue and relief measures, especially as global
warming triggers extreme weather conditions. Taiwan's land use policies
must also take into account environmental risk assessment.

And given the media environment on the island, there is a pressing need
for the President to display forceful and decisive leadership.
Many Taiwanese have lamented their media is running the island, and the
Morakot typhoon disaster has shown this to be the case.