Despite refusals by some residents to be evacuated and complaints of a lack of official assistance, up to 50 residents were forced to leave their homes after a group of so-called "barrier lakes" that were created in Nantou County by last year's massive earthquake overflowed their safe water marks yesterday afternoon.
After several days of torrential rainfalls, several barrier lakes near Chiufenerh Mountain (
As of yesterday afternoon, local inspection team members told the Taipei Times that water had already started to overflow from the lakes, and that any more rainfall could lead to landslides and torrents of water flowing downstream.
"I am now in one of the mountainous areas. The water has reached the alarm level, and has begun to slowly spill [over its banks]," said Luo Chi-pin (羅極聘), deputy head of the local inspection team from the Nankang Village (南港村), Kuohsing Township (國姓鄉) in Nantou.
Lin Tung-han (林東漢), the Nankang Village chief, said that the worst fear of local residents was the possibility of landslides triggered by the overflowing water.
"Although there is no sign of landslides -- only overflowing water for now -- what we worry about most is whether the soil and rocks can contain the spilled water. If not, then the water in the lakes may burst through. Then people who live in the downstream areas will be in trouble," Lin said.
As of late yesterday afternoon, Lin said he had sent evacuation warnings to 16 households in Chang-shih Lane (長石巷), an area nearest to the lakes. "The 40 to 50 residents there are to be evacuated by midnight," he said.
But not everyone agreed with Lin's assessment. Chen Lan-feng (
"The chief told us to leave, but I said I would leave here only when it starts to rain again," Chen said. "The weather is fine today, and I am used to the situation. It's not serious."
Hearing of Chen's response, Lin said: "[the situation] is not to be taken lightly. It's always wise to play it safe. I will have to persuade them myself later. Nobody is going to stay there tonight."
Meanwhile, residents in quake-stricken areas now faced with threats of possible landslides said broken promises by government officials had forced them to take action on their own.
"We will have to paddle our own canoe," said Luo, who has visited the mountain areas to observe the barrier lakes for the past four consecutive days.
"The staff at the fire department in the Nantou County Government have been talking about offering us rescue-related facilities and teaching us how to pass on information in times of emergency. Now that the landslides are actually likely to come, we have yet to see them," Luo said.
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