Angry Taiwanese water conservancy authorities on Tuesday chided local thieves for stealing at least 68 sluice gates across the island, saying the act could leave Taiwan vulnerable to the onslaught of an approaching tropical storm.
The tropical storm, Conson, is expected by Wednesday to bring torrential rains to southern and eastern Taiwan. On Tuesday, while making preparations for flood control, an astonished Water Conservancy Department discovered that 68 smaller-sized sluice gates were missing.
”We have so far reinstalled 42, but reinstallation of 26 in Taichung in central Taiwan and Chiayi in the south has yet to be completed,” said Wu Jo-hsi, secretary general of the department.
Department officials said a recent surge in the demand of steel and iron metal was likely the motive for local thieves to steal the sluice gates and sell them as scrap metal.
Officials said the number of stolen sluice gates was probably higher than 68 as some local administration units had failed to report back.
Wu warned people against taking or stealing the sluice gates, saying the offenders could face the death sentence if the gates they take away result in flood-related deaths. — Sapa-DPA