Authorities in Hualien County are preparing for possible large-scale evacuations as Typhoon Fung-Wong approaches Taiwan, with officials warning that extreme rainfall could trigger the formation of a new landslide lake on the Mataian River (馬太鞍溪).
The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency yesterday said that a new barrier lake could form if three extreme conditions occur simultaneously — 24-hour accumulated rainfall of 800mm, the collapse of the existing Mataian barrier lake holding about 1.5 million cubic meters of water, and a massive slope landslide blocking the river channel.
If these conditions are met, the resulting lake could store up to 15 million cubic meters of water and, if it later collapses, could unleash floodwaters at a peak rate of about 4,500m³ per second, the agency said.
Photo courtesy of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency’s Hualien branch
Monitoring data yesterday showed the current Mataian barrier lake’s water level at 1,019.5m, with a volume of about 1.49 million cubic meters — only 1.6 percent of its pre-overflow level.
The downstream slope remains stable, with no signs of major collapse, the agency said.
With forecasts of nearly 282mm of rain over the next 48 hours, the agency’s Hualien Branch issued a yellow alert yesterday morning and sent emergency cell-broadcast messages to residents downstream, urging them to follow evacuation instructions if a red alert is issued.
Guangfu Township (光復), located downstream of the creek, has begun preparations for potential evacuations affecting more than 5,500 residents, township chief Lin Ching-shui (林清水) said.
Plans include relocation to seven designated shelters, staying with relatives, or moving to higher floors in homes, Lin said, adding that about 1,420 people are expected to take shelter in evacuation centers such as Guangfu Elementary School and Fuyuan Junior High School.
Lin said shelters would be set up this morning, and evacuation would begin once a red alert is issued.
Households that were submerged by more than 1.5m of floodwater during the overflow of the Mataian barrier lake on Sept. 23 would be required to evacuate rather than shelter in place, he added.
The Central Weather Administration said earlier that a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-Wong could be issued as early as this afternoon.
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