The red alert for the barrier lake in Hualien County’s Taroko National Park was lifted this afternoon, after authorities determined there was no risk of collapse or severe flooding.
The water level at the barrier lake along the Liwu River (立霧溪) near Swallow Grotto (燕子口) is stable and the structure shows no abnormalities, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency’s Hualien branch said.
As the lake poses no threat to downstream residents, the red alert has been lifted and evacuees may return, it said.
Photo courtesy of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency’s Hualien branch
However, the area between Jin Heng Tunnel (靳珩隧道) and Ludan Bridge (魯丹橋) along Provincial Highway No. 8 remains closed as overflow continues, it added.
Most residents evacuated from villages in Sioulin Township (秀林) are staying with relatives, with only 16 choosing to stay in shelters, township Mayor Wang Mei-kuei (王玫瑰) said.
They are expected to be able to return home at 4:30pm today, Wang added.
According to criteria developed by the branch and researchers at National Cheng Kung University, the water remains below the warning level, the branch said.
As seepage has not intensified and rainfall is not expected to exceed levels that the infrastructure can handle, the alert was lifted at 1:30pm today, it added.
The branch vowed to keep monitoring water levels and issue emergency advisories as needed.
Monitoring data from this morning showed that the water level was still 3.31m below the dam crest.
The lake held about 1.91 million tonnes of water, which — based on its projected capacity of 2.3 million tonnes — leaves an estimated 390,000 tonnes before reaching capacity.
The structure is stable since it is made of nonpermeable marble and disintegrated soil, and evidence shows little seepage at the bottom, with aerial comparisons over the past few days showing little change, the branch said.
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