Taiwan Railway Corp (TRC) yesterday said it transported more than 30,000 people to Hualien County’s Guangfu Township (光復) on Saturday to help with disaster relief efforts after a barrier break caused severe flooding.
Heavy rainfall from Super Typhoon Ragasa caused a barrier lake, formed by mud slides in earlier storms, to burst and flood Guangfu on Tuesday last week, killing 17 people. Seven people remain missing.
Volunteers from across the nation have traveled to Hualien with shovels and hoes, nicknamed “Shovel Supermen,” to help clear the mud.
Photo: Wang Chin-yi, Taipei Times
“Many ‘supermen’ traveled to and from Guangfu covered in mud in the past few days. More than 30,000 of them had done so on Saturday alone. As such, traces of mud were found in some of the train cars and seats on board,” TRC wrote on Facebook.
“We are sending more people to clean cabins of eastbound trains. We hope that these ‘supermen’ can rest while on board,” it wrote.
The traces of mud left behind on the trains reflect the kind hearts and willingness to help that the Taiwanese volunteers have embodied efforts, it said, urging passengers’ to show patience and consideration amid the extenuating circumstances.
TRC said it would add four diesel-powered trains, two sets of Tzu-chiang-class express trains and two sets of EWU commuter trains, while 15 northbound and southbound trains would begin stopping at Guangfu to facilitate the movement of volunteers.
All new Tzu-chiang-class express trains operating between Hualien and Taitung counties would allow standing passengers, it added.
The EMU No. 4124 commuter train would extend service from Hualien City to Guangfu and stop at Jian (吉安), Jhihsyue (志學), Shoufong (壽豐), Fonglin (鳳林) and Wangrong (萬榮) railway stations, it said.
The Highway Bureau yesterday began offering free shuttle bus services to volunteers from their hotels to the nearest railway stations.
Staff of the Tourism Administration’s East Longitudinal Valley National Scenic Area would be stationed at the Guangfu Railway Station daily to help volunteers find accommodation in nearby towns.
Shuttle buses would be dispatched to transport volunteers between where they are staying and the closest railway stations from 7am to 10am and from 4pm to 8pm.
The bureau said it could adjust the schedules based on demand and as progress is made in rescue and reconstruction efforts.
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