Mortar blast at ammunition depot leaves 9 soldiers injured, two seriously

paramedic attends to injured soldiers at ammunition depot with live mortar rounds still scattered on the ground

July 24, 2023July 24, 2023 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment army, explosion, Han Kuang, Hanguang Exercises, Keelung City

Nine soldiers were injured, two seriously, when a mortar round exploded while being handled at an army ammunition depot in northern Taiwan today, July 24. According to a press statement by Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense, a 120 mm mortar round exploded during an inspection by technical personnel at the Hsiang Feng army base in Keelung City at around 3:00 pm. Fire Department paramedics risked their own lives to attend to the two seriously injured soldiers, who lay beside several

Travel and Tourism

May 4, 2023May 4, 2023 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment cruise ship, Keelung City, Port of Keelung, tourism

The largest cruise ship to ever dock at the Port of Keelung sailed into the harbor today, May 4, bringing more than 4,600 visitors to the harbor city and Taiwan’s capital, Taipei. The MSC Bellissima sailed into the harbor at around 6:00 am, and was greeted by tugboats with a water salute. The 315-meter-long ship is operated by MSC Cruises, and has 19 decks, 2,217 cabins, 18 elevators, and three swimming pools. There are 1,564 personnel on board to serve

Weather

February 5, 2022February 5, 2022 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Keelung City, rockfall

Several large boulders fell onto a scenic coastal road and in Keelung City this afternoon, but fortunately did not hit any passing cars or pedestrians.

Drugs

December 21, 2021December 21, 2021 Phillip Charlier 1 Comment cannabis cultivation, Keelung City, marijuana

A man caught growing marijuana in Keelung City yesterday, December 20, told police that the 186 plants were for his own use. Police raided a house on Fuyi Street, after receiving a tip-off that the 50-year-old man, named Chen, was cultivating marijuana in the building. Police investigators found 13 mature plants, 173 seedlings, 13 bags of dried cannabis with a total weight of 549 grams, cultivation equipment, and other evidence. The plants were grown under lights, with black cloth covering

homeless people windbreaks and tent composite picture

Society

December 18, 2021December 18, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment cold weather, homeless, Keelung City

Volunteers handed out sleeping bags, blankets, warm coats, and food, while also offering temporary shelter to homeless people around Keelung railway station, yesterday evening, as a continental cold front descended on northern Taiwan, combined with a northeasterly monsoonal airstream, causing temperatures to plunge into the low teens. In an underpass at Keelung Station, homeless people put up cardboard, styrofoam, and umbrellas as makeshift windbreaks, and one person even erected a tent in an attempt to shelter from the cold wind.

Marine and Fisheries

December 8, 2021December 8, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Keelung City, nuclear power

Volcanic pumice originating in the Ogasawara Islands of Japan has drifted to Taiwan’s north coast, and both maritime authorities and the Atomic Energy Council are taking precautions. Eruptions in the Micronesian island group, which includes Iwo Jima, began on August 13, producing enormous drifts of the floating stones that began to clog ports in Okinawa and other parts of Japan last month. See previous story: Volcanic activity, seismic shifts: WWII ships from Battle of Iwo Jima raised from watery graves

composite image showing snakebite and snake

Health and Safety

November 20, 2021November 20, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Keelung City, snake-bite

Police in Keelung City provided a patrol car to escort a woman to hospital after she was bitten by a venomous snake Thursday, November 18. Ms Zhan was tending her flower garden at home in Qidu District, Thursday evening, when she was bitten on the ankle by a Taiwanese pit viper, also known as the Taiwan habu (Protobothrops mucrosquamatus). To save time, rather than call an ambulance, Zhan’s husband drove to Fuxing Police Station, and rushed in to inform the

composite image of owl and students in classroom

Animals

November 17, 2021November 17, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Keelung City

Students and teachers at a high school in Keelung City were delighted when a collared scops owl (Otus lettia) perched in a classroom and stayed to observe lessons, yesterday, November 16. Nobody knows how the owl entered classroom 802 at Zhongzheng Junior High School, as all the windows and doors were closed reported United Daily News. But students discovered the visitor when they entered the classroom shortly after 7:00 am. The owl appeared to be unafraid of humans and sat

Keelung City Chenghuang Temple pedestrian underpass

Society

November 7, 2021November 7, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment cold weather, homeless, Keelung City

The Keelung City Government has decided to temporarily delay renovation of two pedestrian underpasses, as a cold front bearing down on Taiwan is expected to bring a sharp drop in temperatures tomorrow, and councillors worry that homeless people may have nowhere to go for shelter. The Keelung City Government decided to renovate the Chenghuang Temple-Dong’an Plaza underpasses after it was noted that the tunnels were prone to leak in rain, were covered in graffiti, and had a dingy appearance. After

Culture

September 30, 2021September 30, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment history of Taiwan, Japan-Taiwan, Keelung City

Keelung City Mayor Lin Yu-chang was proud to point out today that Fumio Kishida, who is set to become Japan’s 100th prime minister October 4, has an ancestral family connection with the port city. Fumio Kishida’s great-grandfather established two stores in Keelung City in 1895 and the buildings not only survive, but are well preserved. Democratic Progressive Party legislator Tsai Shih-ying pointed out the connection in a Facebook post yesterday, explaining that Kitaro Kishida established a Kimono store and a

Society

June 13, 2021June 13, 2021 Phillip Charlier 1 Comment drunk people, highrise-rescue, Keelung City

A man in Keelung City was rescued by firefighters after his foot got stuck in a fourth floor apartment’s window bars, leaving him dangling precariously late last night, June 12. Mr Wang, who is said to be in his 50s, and was reported to be very drunk, first drew the attention of police after neighbors reported a disturbance on the roof of a five storey residential building in Xinfeng Street at around 11:00 pm. Police found that Mr Wang was

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Keelung City

Mortar blast at ammunition depot leaves 9 soldiers injured, two seriously

MSC Bellissima sets record for largest cruise ship to dock at the Port of Keelung

Huge boulders fall onto coastal road, narrowly missing passing cars and pedestrians

Man caught growing 186 marijuana plants ‘for his own use’

Help for the homeless in Keelung City as cold weather descends on Northern Taiwan

Pumice from Ogasawara Islands volcano appears on Taiwan’s north coast: nuclear power plants on guard

Police escort helps rush woman to hospital after snakebite in Keelung City

Owl visits classroom at Keelung City high school

As cold front approaches Keelung City delays construction to keep underpass open for homeless

Japan’s incoming Prime Minister and his Taiwan connection

Man rescued after getting stuck hanging upside down from 4th floor window