Body of neighborhood chief confirmed among Hualien flood victims

Taipei, Sept. 26 (CNA) The body of a man recovered after the overflow of the Matai'an Creek Barrier Lake in Hualien County was confirmed Friday to be that of a neighborhood chief, surnamed Chen (陳), whose identity had previously been unconfirmed.

As of 10 a.m. Friday, the flooding had left 14 people confirmed dead and 11 missing, according to the National Fire Agency (NFA). Three additional bodies remain trapped under mud or debris at the disaster site and have not yet been included in the official toll.

● Death toll rises to 17 in Hualien lake flooding; 17 people still missing

Chen's family identified him through his clothing and physical features after the body was brought to a temporary command post in Ruisui Township, where prosecutors and forensic examiners are conducting autopsies.

Chen, who lived alone in Guangfu Township for decades, was known for his generosity and had long served as chief of the Fourth Neighborhood in Datong Village, his son said.

He said his father had asked a neighbor, surnamed Yu (游), to drive him to inspect the flood zone, but their vehicle was swept away on Fozu Street. Yu escaped by clinging to a tree branch, while Chen was carried off by the surging water.

"His concern was always for the safety of the community," Chen's son said. "He wanted to check if evacuations were necessary, but the water came too fast for him to escape."