Days of torrential rain in southern Taiwan have caused flooding in numerous areas, and Kuomintang Kaohsiung mayoral candidate Ko Chih-en became stranded when her vehicle broke down during a disaster inspection. Footage of the incident has had a negative effect on her campaign.

• Ko Chih-en travelled to the Yuku community in Alian to survey the damage, and her vehicle stalled and broke down on a flooded stretch of road.
• She was briefly trapped inside the car, and eventually climbed out through the window with help from her staff before wading on foot to complete the visit.
• Supporters said her decision to go into the disaster area in person deserved credit, but more online commenters questioned whether pushing through water she knew was there amounted to a publicity stunt.
• Kaohsiung city council candidate Tsai Ping-tsung jibed that "once we had Kuo-yu climbing a tree, now we have Chih-en climbing out a window," drawing a comparison between the footage and the earlier controversy involving Han Kuo-yu.
• Others pushed back, arguing that driving into flooded areas actually hinders rescue efforts, and that vehicles behind hers had chassis that never even touched the water.

Outlook: The footage is likely to keep being used by opponents to attack her in the Kaohsiung mayoral race in the near term, and the arrangement of disaster inspection visits will come under closer scrutiny.