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國際時事跟讀 Ep. L261: Historic Tainan Gate Collapses Amid Torrential Rainstorms
Highlights 主題摘要
- Heavy rains triggered the partial collapse of the Great East Gate, a significant historic site in Tainan.
- The monument has been under a major restoration project since late last year to repair old concrete.
- Authorities have sealed off the area and are working to ensure public safety and preserve the heritage.
Southern Taiwan has recently been battered by severe weather conditions, with consecutive days of torrential rain causing widespread flooding across multiple cities and counties. The relentless downpours have not only disrupted daily life but also inflicted serious damage on culturally significant landmarks. Early this morning, citizens in Tainan were shocked to discover that a side wall of the Great East Gate, a prestigious national monument, had partially collapsed. This unexpected disaster scattered heavy debris and construction scaffolding across a busy intersection, immediately prompting authorities to establish emergency blockades to prevent any potential injuries to passing commuters.
南台灣最近受到惡劣天氣的侵襲，連續數日的暴雨導致多個縣市出現大範圍的淹水。這些無情的傾盆大雨不僅打亂了日常生活，還對具備文化意義的地標造成嚴重破壞。今天清晨，台南市民震驚地發現，國定古蹟大東門的側牆發生了局部坍塌。這場意外的災難將沉重的土石與施工鷹架散落在一處繁忙的十字路口，當局隨即設立緊急封鎖線，以防止路過的通勤者受到任何潛在傷害。
The Great East Gate, also known as Yingchun Gate, stands as a proud symbol of Tainan's rich heritage and is one of the largest surviving city gates in the nation. This historic structure previously suffered a massive collapse due to extreme rainfall back in 1960. It was eventually rebuilt in 1975 using reinforced concrete methods that were common at the time. Recognizing that the aging concrete had developed concerning structural flaws over the past fifty years, the city government officially launched a comprehensive restoration project last November to properly preserve this cherished architectural treasure for future generations.
大東門又稱迎春門，是台南豐富歷史遺產的驕傲象徵，也是全國現存規模最大的城門之一。這座歷史建築曾在一九六〇年因為極端降雨而發生過大規模坍塌。最終，它在一九七五年使用當時常見的鋼筋混凝土工法進行了重建。由於意識到老舊的混凝土在過去五十年中出現了令人擔憂的結構缺陷，市政府在去年十一月正式啟動了一項全面的修復工程，為後代妥善保存這座珍貴的建築瑰寶。
Experts suggest that the ongoing heavy rainfall directly triggered the catastrophic structural failure we witnessed today. Because the top panels of the gate were still actively undergoing essential repairs, rainwater easily seeped through preexisting cracks in the damaged roof and walls. As the massive amount of water continuously soaked the internal layers, the earth and stones inside the structure became drastically saturated and unstable. The sheer weight of the accumulated moisture eventually overwhelmed the side wall, sending tons of unstable soil and heavy metal scaffolding violently crashing down onto the occupied traffic lanes below.
專家認為，持續的豪雨直接引發了我們今天所目睹的災難性結構損壞。由於城門的頂板仍積極進行著必要的修繕，雨水很容易就從受損屋頂和牆壁上原本就存在的裂縫中滲入。隨著大量水分不斷浸透內部土層，結構內部的泥土與石頭變得極度飽和且不穩定。積水產生的巨大重量最終壓垮了側牆，導致數噸不穩定的土石和沉重的金屬鷹架猛烈砸向下方原本有車輛通行的車道。
In response, the local government quickly halted all construction and dispatched specialists to inspect the structural integrity. Officials are urgently asking citizens to avoid the flooded areas while preservation teams carefully develop an emergency recovery plan to restore this incredibly vital piece of Taiwanese history.
作為回應，地方政府迅速勒令停工，並派遣專家檢查其結構完整性。官員緊急呼籲市民避開淹水區域，同時古蹟保存團隊正謹慎地制定緊急修復計畫，以搶救這塊極其重要的台灣歷史拼圖。
Keyword Drills 關鍵字
- Torrential [adjective, falling rapidly and in copious quantities]: Southern Taiwan has recently been battered by severe weather conditions, with consecutive days of torrential rain causing widespread flooding.
- Scaffolding [noun, a temporary structure used by workers while repairing a building]: This unexpected disaster scattered heavy debris and construction scaffolding across a busy intersection.
- Comprehensive [adjective, complete and including everything that is necessary]: The city government officially launched a comprehensive restoration project last November to properly preserve this cherished architectural treasure.
- Saturated [adjective, holding as much water or moisture as can be absorbed]: The earth and stones inside the structure became drastically saturated and unstable.
- Integrity [noun, the state of being whole, sound, and structurally undivided]: The local government quickly halted all construction and dispatched specialists to inspect the structural integrity.
Reference article:
https://www.gvm.com.tw/article/132521
https://news.ttv.com.tw/news/11508240005500N
https://www.peoplenews.tw/articles/lifestyle/51387