The public has been advised not to enter the downstream riverbed area of Hualien County’s Liwu River (立霧溪), after water levels rose due to the erosion of a barrier lake dam further upstream.
The overflow channel near Swallow Grotto (燕子口) in Taroko National Park has widened, increasing water flow and eroding the landslide dam, the Hualien branch of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency said today.
The widening of the channel may cause further damage or collapse the dam, causing a rise in water levels downstream, the Hualien County Government said.
Photo courtesy of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency
The local government also advised residents of the Minle Village (民樂) in Sioulin Township (秀林) to evacuate and urged the public to stay away from the river.
Crews were excavating the riverbed and lowering the dam, but when the overflow channel widened, the water flow tripled and washed away the backfill, a contractor said.
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