Water levels drop in Hualien barrier lakes, ending red alert
花蓮堰塞湖水位下降，紅色警戒解除
| TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Forestry and Nature Conservation Administration Hualien Branch said Sunday that areas downstream of the Mataian Creek barrier lake have returned to normal alert status, with current water levels at just 0.37% of the Sept. 23 overflow level.
FANCA said a third barrier lake that formed Thursday has also declined, dropping from an estimated 200,000 cubic meters to 150,000 cubic meters as of 6 a.m. Sunday. Despite the decrease, overflow continues, per CNA. The agency said a sudden breach could generate a peak flow of 80 cubic meters per second, potentially raising water levels by nine centimeters at an embankment in Mingli Village and 11 centimeters at the Mataian Creek bridge. FANCA warned that future landslides and blockages along Mataian Creek could still occur due to earthquakes or heavy rain. Between Sept. 25 and Nov. 16, only localized collapses were recorded along the steep slopes, with no signs of large-scale sliding. Officials said monitoring will continue, downstream construction units will be alerted immediately to changes, and disaster warnings will follow established procedures. The Guangfu Township Office said it will begin processing disaster relief funds. Eligible claims include relocation assistance, flood damage compensation, and support for debris flow entering homes. Required documents include a disaster survey report issued by the village chief, an application form, ID, household registration, photos of the affected site, proof of residence, and bank account information. Minister without Portfolio Chi Lien-cheng (季連成) visited Hualien on Saturday to assess the situation. He said affected households in Fenglin and Wanrong townships have been included in the recovery subsidy program. Chi added that a 600-meter-long dike has been constructed on the left bank of Mataian Creek to protect villages, and that the culvert access road has been ordered reopened within 10 days, per CNA. Water Resources Agency Director-General Lin Yuan-peng (林元鵬) said the disaster in Wanrong and Fenglin was caused by roughly seven meters of riverbed siltation after the landslide dam overflowed on Sept. 23. He said the waterway shifted course and spilled into villages from unprotected high ground on the left bank. Lin said a five-meter-high temporary earthen dike is under construction, and a 600-meter-long diversion dike will be added to strengthen protection. A three-kilometer diversion channel is also being built, with two kilometers expected to be excavated on Saturday. Highway Bureau Eastern Region Branch Director Lin Wen-hsiung (林文雄) said the temporary access road across Mataian Creek remains buried under riverbed silt. Some sections still have strong water flow, while others have entered emergency repair. The goal is to reopen the route within 10 to 12 days. FANCA said both upstream barrier lakes have continued shrinking and overflowing without new collapses or blockages at the outlets or surrounding slopes. Downstream water levels are steadily decreasing. |
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| Sean Scanlan Taiwan News, Staff Writer | |
| 2025-11-16 |
