Death toll in Hualien rises to 14 following barrier lake overflow

Taipei, Sept. 24 (CNA) At least 14 people have been confirmed dead after floodwaters from the Matai'an Creek Barrier Lake surged into Guangfu Township, Hualien County, officials said early Wednesday.

Hualien County emergency services searched through the night for missing or injured residents after the lake overran its banks at 2:50 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

● Hualien township swamped by flooding from lake; vehicles swept away

The flooding, driven by rains from Typhoon Ragasa, sent torrents through Guangfu's neighborhoods, rising nearly a story high before beginning to recede by Tuesday evening.

Lee Lung-sheng (李龍聖), deputy chief of the Hualien County Fire Department, told CNA that search and rescue teams had confirmed 14 deaths in Guangfu as of Wednesday morning.

Many of the deaths were elderly people found on the first floors of their homes on Dunhou Road and Fozu Street, who were apparently unable to evacuate in time, he said.

Although the floodwaters have receded from the village, the streets are still covered in a layer of mud and debris. Rescuers are continuing to search for people house by house, and the number of people missing remains unclear, Lee said.

Floodwaters in Guangfu, located about 40 kilometers south of Hualien City, also swamped the village's train station and rail lines Tuesday and destroyed the Matai'an Creek Bridge on Provincial Highway 9.

In addition to the 14 deaths, 18 people in Hualien were reported injured as of 6 a.m. Wednesday, and over 3,000 people had been evacuated in Guangfu, Fenglin and Wanrong townships, authorities said.

A barrier lake is formed when debris, landslides, or natural blockages create a temporary dam along a river, holding back water.