Record Kaohsiung rainfall causes NT$77 million in agricultural losses

Taipei, Sept. 3 (CNA) Record summer rainfall in Kaohsiung has caused at least NT$77.245 million (US$2.43 million) in agricultural losses, city officials said Thursday.

According to the Kaohsiung city government's Agricultural Bureau, wax apple growers were hit hardest, losing around 80 hectares of crops worth approximately NT$18.264 million.

Guava growers were the second worst affected, losing 201.35 hectares worth NT$16.959 million, followed by papaya farms, which lost 58.23 hectares worth NT$12.604 million.

Kaohsiung received an accumulated 1,712 millimeters of rainfall in August, the bureau said.

This surpassed the previous record for August rainfall, set in 1931, and was four times the monthly average, it added.