Drought in Taiwan means a silver lining for one man


Leila Gharagozlou
  • English
  • Arabic

Taiwan is facing its worst drought in 56 years, which caused one of its most famous lakes to all but dry up.

The country has not had a single typhoon, one of the main sources of rainfall, over the past year. Residents had to endure strict water rationing that affected households and businesses alike.

Parts of Sun Moon Lake, the island's largest water body and a popular tourist attraction, dried up so much in recent weeks that parts of it now look like grassy plains.

But the drought is not all bad news.

A man named only as Chen dropped his iPhone in the lake while paddle-boarding there a year ago. The phone was slung around his neck and disappeared when he fell into the water.

A photo taken from Facebook showing the instance Chen (陳) lost his in Sun Moon Lake in Taiwan in 2020. Courtesy Bao Fei 1 Commune (爆廢1公社) Facebook group
A photo taken from Facebook showing the instance Chen (陳) lost his in Sun Moon Lake in Taiwan in 2020. Courtesy Bao Fei 1 Commune (爆廢1公社) Facebook group

This week Mr Chen posted an update on Facebook to say he was contacted by workers at the lake who said his phone, now covered in mud, had been found.

A photo taken from Facebook of the iPhone after it was recovered from Sun Moon Lake in Taiwan. Courtesy Bao Fei 1 Commune (爆廢1公社) Facebook group
A photo taken from Facebook of the iPhone after it was recovered from Sun Moon Lake in Taiwan. Courtesy Bao Fei 1 Commune (爆廢1公社) Facebook group

The low water levels in the lake, the lowest in about 50, allowed the workers to spot the phone's waterproof case.

In yet another stroke of luck for Mr Chen, the phone was working perfectly.

QUALIFYING RESULTS

1. Max Verstappen, Netherlands, Red Bull Racing Honda, 1 minute, 35.246 seconds.
2. Valtteri Bottas, Finland, Mercedes, 1:35.271.
3. Lewis Hamilton, Great Britain, Mercedes, 1:35.332.
4. Lando Norris, Great Britain, McLaren Renault, 1:35.497.
5. Alexander Albon, Thailand, Red Bull Racing Honda, 1:35.571.
6. Carlos Sainz Jr, Spain, McLaren Renault, 1:35.815.
7. Daniil Kvyat, Russia, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 1:35.963.
8. Lance Stroll, Canada, Racing Point BWT Mercedes, 1:36.046.
9. Charles Leclerc, Monaco, Ferrari, 1:36.065.
10. Pierre Gasly, France, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 1:36.242.

Eliminated after second session

11. Esteban Ocon, France, Renault, 1:36.359.
12. Daniel Ricciardo, Australia, Renault, 1:36.406.
13. Sebastian Vettel, Germany, Ferrari, 1:36.631.
14. Antonio Giovinazzi, Italy, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:38.248.

Eliminated after first session

15. Antonio Giovinazzi, Italy, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:37.075.
16. Kimi Raikkonen, Finland, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:37.555.
17. Kevin Magnussen, Denmark, Haas Ferrari, 1:37.863.
18. George Russell, Great Britain, Williams Mercedes, 1:38.045.
19. Pietro Fittipaldi, Brazil, Haas Ferrari, 1:38.173.
20. Nicholas Latifi, Canada, Williams Mercedes, 1:38.443.

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The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

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September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

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December 2024

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October 2025

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November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE