Aquaculture operations in southern Taiwan''s Kaohsiung County suffered combined losses of TWD 470 million (€11.2 million/$14.9 million) as a result of flooding caused by the recent Typhoon Fanapi, said the county government''s Agriculture Department.
Many of the county's coastal townships, including Yongan, Mituo and Zihguan suffered heavy flooding and financial losses as breeding stock was washed away by floodwater, while other stock died as a result of ensuing power outages.
The area's aquaculture ponds rely heavily on power to pump oxygen for the fish, and power outages can cause major die-offs, department officials said.
Yongan Township suffered the heaviest damage, with the loss of TWD 320 million (€7.6 million/$10.1 million) -worth of grouper, seabass, milk fish and threadfin.
Mituo Township's damage was estimated at TWD 100 million (€2.4 million/$3.2 million), while Zihguan Township lost TWD 11 million (€261,019/$348,739), officials said.
[Source: Focus Taiwan]
