The floodgates of the Wujie Dam upstream of Lishi Creek (栗栖溪) in Nantou County’s Renai Township (仁愛) unexpectedly opened early on the morning of Sept. 13, causing a flash flood that swept away several campers on a downstream riverbank, killing four people, while two escaped with injuries.
Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) in a preliminary investigation report said that the floodgates had opened due to faulty insulation around control cables, which likely caused a short-circuit that led to a malfunction.
The floodgates opened for unexplained reasons again at 5:08am the same day, raising questions about why the dam’s security monitoring system did not issue any alarms when the floodgates opened twice. Taipower later admitted that the dam does not have malfunction warning systems. The Water Resources Agency also said that not every reservoir and dam in Taiwan is equipped with a floodgate malfunction warning system, a surprising revelation that brings to light a fatal flaw.
Taipower and Taiwan Water Corp manage 21 reservoirs each, and they have amassed knowledge and experience over years of operating those facilities. Taipower is an expert in electricity safety, so how could badly insulated control cables have caused a disaster like this? And why did the utility not detect the problem beforehand?
If the incident was really a result of faulty insulation, it warrants a serious investigation of all reservoirs and dams in Taiwan.
The Wujie Dam tragedy also uncovers a problem caused by the government’s rush to boost private consumption through domestic tourism and its frenzied promotion of “secret attractions” in Taiwan, as it is reluctant to ease border controls amid the COVID-19 pandemic — a stance that reveals a lack of consideration for environmental sustainability and public safety.
The magnificent mountain and lake scenery of Wujie (武界) has been described as the most beautiful “secret spot” in Nantou, and the canyons and cliffs in the area have become destinations for hikers. The area has become so popular among tourists that the Ministry of Transportation and Communications early this year listed it as one of Taiwan’s “secret places” for tourism.
However, soon after the tragedy, Taipower noted that camping is prohibited downstream of any hydroelectric plant nationwide and the company had erected warning signs in such areas.
The Tourism Bureau said that the victims were camping in a restricted area and asked travel agencies to readjust their itineraries for “secret” destinations.
Since the so-called “secret places” are by definition either out of sight or not easily accessible, safety is a priority when promoting tours to explore these hidden gems. Even though there are “no trespassing” signs at some spots, the Wujie incident shows that the government should not focus on subsidizing domestic tourism but ignore its responsibility to enforce the regulations and ensure safety at all attractions.
When promoting domestic tourism, the authorities should think about how to guide the public to appreciate the beauty of Taiwan without putting people at risk.
Meanwhile, travel agencies and the public must not overlook the risks and environmental effects when developing new tours or embracing secret destinations.
Most important, people should never take chances. Regrettably, there has been a spate of accidents and deaths at some “secret spots” over the past summer, while the problems of garbage and environmental damage caused by crowds highlight the need for comprehensive planning when promoting domestic tourism.
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