TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A barrier lake on the Wanli River in Hualien has reached 96% of its capacity and is about 1 meter below the overflow warning level.
The Central Emergency Operations Center is expected to issue a red alert evacuation order for downstream residents on Friday.
The CEOC held a second intelligence assessment meeting Thursday morning, chaired by Minister without Portfolio Chi Lien-cheng (季連成). Reports from the Central Weather Administration, relevant government agencies, and Fenglin and Wanrong township offices were submitted during the meeting, per CNA.
Huang Chun-tse (黃群策), director of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency's Hualien Branch, said rainfall in the barrier lake's catchment area is expected to remain low over the next two days. He added that monitoring shows the natural dam remains stable, with no signs of internal erosion.
Huang said the lake's inflow rate has decreased slightly from 7,200 tonnes per hour to 6,200 tonnes per hour. As a result, the estimated time for the water level to reach the overflow warning level has been delayed, with overflow now potentially occurring at around 2 p.m. Friday.
Chi instructed local governments to make necessary preparations for evacuation, including inspecting emergency warning systems such as air raid sirens. Military personnel will assist township offices in confirming evacuation conditions for vulnerable residents and help maintain the Wanli River channel.
He said monitoring indicates the barrier lake may experience a normal overflow rather than a sudden dam breach that would release a large volume of water downstream. Approximately 210 vulnerable residents in Fenglin and Wanrong townships were preemptively evacuated Wednesday, per SETN.
Two emergency shelters have been prepared and stocked with five days of supplies. Once a red alert is issued, the Jianying Bridge, Zhongxing Bridge, and Xibao Bridge will be closed as part of emergency response measures.
