TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A rockfall early Sunday morning damaged part of the Daqingshui Tunnel along the Suhua Highway in Hualien, prompting ongoing repairs and heightened safety measures, according to the Highway Bureau.
The incident occurred at the 159.4-kilometer marker on the highway, also known as Provincial Highway 9, where a rock measuring nearly 3 meters fell into the tunnel and damaged its roof, per CNA.
Workers responded immediately and have since carried out repairs, with the tunnel now reopened to traffic. Authorities said personnel are monitoring the site around the clock to maintain traffic flow and will adjust traffic control measures depending on slope stability.
The Highway Bureau’s Eastern Region Branch used aerial photography to assess the slope’s condition, with the images reviewed alongside a consulting firm to determine follow-up repair strategies. As an emergency measure, steel will be used to fill gaps in the open-cut section of the tunnel to restore structural protection.
The bureau also plans to install an energy-dissipating curtain-type rockfall protection net about 50 meters above the tunnel to reduce the impact of falling rocks and improve safety for both workers and road users, per CNA.
Officials said disaster recovery efforts are ongoing to restore full road service as quickly as possible while ensuring safety.
