Days of torrential rain have battered Pingtung, and Buddhist groups have deployed more than 100 volunteers to deliver meals and supplies — timely good news for stranded flood victims.

• A low-pressure trough combined with southwesterly winds brought days of torrential rain, leaving many parts of Pingtung flooded and roads severed, with water reaching the height of a one-storey building in some areas.
• The Buddhist Association of Taiwan, the Chinese Buddhist Bhikkhuni Association and the Pingtung County Buddhist Association rallied more than 100 volunteers, who prepared 1,300 meal boxes along with biscuits and bottled water in a single day.
• The supplies were sent out along separate routes to the coastal villages of Wenfeng and Yanwen in Jiadong Township, as well as to the Masilj community in the mountainous Taiwu Township, addressing victims' immediate need for daily meals.
• With roads impassable, the relief organisers additionally purchased a powered lifeboat and jet skis so volunteers could move in and out of the disaster areas and speed up deliveries.
• Jiadong Township Mayor Lai Wen-yi and Taiwu Township Mayor Pan Ming-fu both expressed their thanks for the aid.

Outlook: As long as the rain continues, flooded areas will still need a sustained flow of food and supplies from outside, and a return to normal life remains difficult in the near term.