This disaster not only exposed failings in Taiwan's flood prevention work over the years, but also reminded us that no place is safe from the threat of global climate change. Taiwan's first typhoon of 2008, Typhoon Kalmaegi, was only a light one, and it quickly dispersed without incident after coming ashore in Ilan County at 9: 45 on the evening of July 17.
洪水從南端屏東向上席捲至苗栗，繁華都會與偏遠山區無一倖免，不僅暴露出台灣多年來防洪政策的不足與迷思，也再次驗證全球氣候變遷的威脅無處不在。