Landslides disrupt rail traffic in Hualien

Taipei, May 18 (CNA) The Chongde-Heren section of Taiwan Railway's line up and down eastern Taiwan was closed to traffic in both northbound and southbound directions on Sunday after landslides caused by heavy rain in Hualien County swept soil over the tracks.

Taiwan Railway Corp. said it has dispatched workers and vehicles to the site and repair work began at 7 p.m. Sunday.

As of Sunday night, southbound reserved-seat trains originating in the Greater Taipei area were operating only as far as Su'aoxin Station in Yilan County, while local trains were running to Heping Station in Hualien County, the state-run company said.

All northbound trains were terminating at Hualien Station, it said.

Shuttle bus services between Hualien and Heping began at 7:30 p.m. to help people get to destinations between those two areas, and the number of shuttle buses will be adjusted flexibly based on real-time weather information. the company said.