The disaster is severe... affecting over 30,000 passengers. Taoyuan Airport: hopes flights will return to normal by 00:00 on the 3rd

▲Taoyuan Airport’s worst in 36 years！ Over 100 flights and tens of thousands of passengers affected. (Photo / Eastern TV News)

Reported by Lai Wenxuan / Taipei

Regarding the disaster at Taoyuan Airport caused by heavy thunderstorms on June 2, which affected more than 200 flights and over 30,000 passengers. Fei Hongjun, general manager of the airport company, pointed out that this thunderstorm had relatively minor impact on the airside, mainly involving power outages in the terminals and water accumulation in external access roads. He hopes all flights can return to normal by 00:00 on the 3rd.

From 9:00 to 12:00 on the 2nd, the cumulative rainfall reached 153 mm within a short period, with an hourly rainfall of 86 mm. Under such intense rainfall, the water level of the Puxin River exceeded the drainage culverts of Taoyuan Airport, causing the accumulated water to be unable to drain.

▲Affected by the heavy thunderstorms, external access roads at Taoyuan Airport were temporarily interrupted. (Photo / Eastern TV News)

Currently, the external access roads of Taoyuan Airport — Terminal South Road and Terminal North Road — resumed traffic at 17:00 and 18:00 respectively; the basement food court had its water drained by 17:00 and is expected to resume operations as early as the day after tomorrow; the basement driveway of Terminal 2 is still being pumped dry, and is expected to be cleared by 00:00 on the 2nd; no disasters have been reported in the underground parking lot of Terminal 2, and no vehicles were damaged.

Between 16:00 and 19:00 on the 2nd, the baggage claim carousels in Terminal 2 stopped operating due to a power outage, preventing passengers from retrieving their luggage. As of 19:00, except for carousel No. 8, the others have been restored. Thanks to airlines’ cooperation in redelivering passengers’ luggage, reducing inconvenience for travelers.

▲Taoyuan Airport substation flooded, Terminal 2 without power. (Photo / Eastern TV News)

However, the power issue is currently the main concern at Taoyuan Airport. Two substations, C and D, have been flooded and are still undergoing intensive pumping. Two generators can only provide emergency power supply after the pumping is completed. Taoyuan Airport originally had 40 backup generators, some of which are now providing electricity for certain jet bridges and aprons. Currently, only emergency lighting is available in the arrival hall of Terminal 2, and the air conditioning has not yet been restored, but everything else is largely back to normal.