00:00In Tainan, pomelo farmers and alternative service conscripts scramble to recover what
00:05they can of one of the crop's hardest hit by Typhoon Dines.
00:09Government estimates of agricultural losses from the storm have climbed to nearly $95 million
00:14across Taiwan. It's left the country's south in particular reeling as residents embark on
00:21the long road to recovery.
00:30Tainan City has suffered the most, with damage estimated at over $30 million, followed by
00:39Jiayi County, which has seen around $24 million in losses. And as the clean-up operation continues,
00:45the Interior Minister has announced disaster relief funds ranging from $850 to $3,400 for
00:51affected households in disaster areas. While the funds await the Cabinet's approval,
00:56the Labor Ministry is kick-starting a temporary work program for over 1,700 local residents
01:02in Yunling, Jiayi and Tainan to help with recovery efforts.
01:17And while it's been all hands on deck for both residents and emergency repair workers,
01:22Typhoon Dines' departure wasn't the final tragedy in the south. On Tuesday, a Tai Power employee
01:28was electrocuted while working to restore power to households in Jiayi County. Now on life
01:34support, he was visited by President Lai Ching there on Thursday. The government wished him
01:38a speedy recovery.
01:39As residents clear debris and repair crews work around the clock, the toll of Typhoon
01:55Dines continues to surface. With lives disrupted and recovery only just beginning, the storm leaves
02:01behind not just physical damage, but a lasting test of resilience for communities across southern
02:06Taiwan. Howard Chang and Izzy Wells for Taiwan Plus.
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