TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The barrier lake formed on Hualien County's Wanli River continued to fill Wednesday, reaching nearly 93% of capacity as authorities prepared for a possible overflow as early as Thursday.
According to the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency's Hualien Branch, the lake's water level had risen to within 1.79 meters of the overflow point at 10 a.m. Wednesday. The agency said the lake is receiving between 140,000 and 160,000 tonnes of water daily, per the FANCA website.
A yellow alert remains in effect for 209 residents living downstream in Wanrong and Fenglin townships, allowing them to remain at home while monitoring continues. The Central Emergency Operation Center is scheduled to meet at 5 p.m. Wednesday to assess conditions and determine whether to issue a red alert, per UDN.
Those at risk include 30 households and 107 people in Wanrong Township and 44 households and 102 people in Fenglin Township. Before the arrival of Typhoon Bavi, Fenglin Township had evacuated elderly and disabled residents to emergency shelters.
Following the typhoon, authorities downgraded the alert level from red to yellow, which allowed many residents to return home. However, 28 vulnerable residents can return home during the day but must stay in shelters overnight because nighttime evacuations would be more difficult if conditions deteriorate. Officials said they will be fully evacuated if a red alert is reissued.
Wanrong Township also allowed residents in protected areas to return home after the alert level was lowered Sunday.
Township Chief Liang Kuang-ming (梁光明) said Wednesday that the risk of the landslide dam overflowing remains high and estimated that all residents in affected households would be evacuated later in the day.
