Hualien flooding leaves 15 dead, 8 missing as of Friday: CEOC

Taipei, Sept. 26 (CNA) The fatal flooding that has devastated three townships in Hualien County has so far left 15 people dead, 101 injured, and eight missing, according to the latest data from the Central Emergency Operation Center (CEOC) on Friday.

The flooding was precipitated by heavy rainfall from Typhoon Ragasa at the beginning of this week, which caused the overflow of a barrier lake on Matai'an Creek in Hualien on Tuesday, leading to severe flooding in Guangfu, Wanrong, and Fenglin townships.

The sudden onrush of the waters from the creek and the density of the mud and silt that swept into the towns caught some residents by surprise, leading to several casualties.

As of 7 p.m., the CEOC updated the death toll to 15 after a body was found earlier in the day on Fozu Street in Guangfu Township.

In the days following the disaster, the reported death toll has fluctuated, as central and local authorities have often released differing figures.

The CEOC also revised the number of missing from 11 to eight, after local police reached three people who had been unaccounted for.

Red alert still in effect

Matai'an Creek's barrier lake has continued to shrink, now covering 15.5 hectares and holding roughly 7 million cubic meters of water -- about 7.7 percent of its original volume before the overflow.

● Evacuations urged in Hualien as barrier lake risks renewed overflow

The survey was conducted by the National Air Service Corps on Friday morning, the CEOC said.

Due to the unstable surrounding terrain and water still flowing in from upstream into the barrier lake, however, an overflow could still happen, it said, and a red alert remains in effect for the area.

Floodwaters, mud continue to flow into Guangfu

Search and rescue efforts have been impaired by strong currents and heavy silt, and they were even stalled on Fozu Street, said Chien Hung-cheng (簡弘丞), head of the Hualien County Fire Department's special rescue team, on Friday.

He told reporters that rising water levels have forced repeated withdrawals of the team's personnel, while renewed silt has continued to pile up, trapping even excavators and hindering rescue progress.

There are three to four clearly identified rescue sites on Fozu Street, but silt has piled up nearly a full story high, Chien said, noting that the soft, unstable mud has made movement extremely difficult.

"We know where the trapped victims are, but progress is very slow," he admitted.

Chien said a six-year-old girl, nicknamed "Little Yi (小沂)," was rescued from a house on Fozu Street on Wednesday, but a man is believed to still be inside the same house and may have perished.

Rescue personnel broke through the roof today and attempted to dig through the mud by hand, but were forced to retreat when water levels rose again, he said.

Repair of broken levees

Heavy equipment has been deployed to repair broken levees in Hualien, following a directive from President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) issued the previous day, which ordered the repairs to be completed within a month.

According to the CEOC, work began Friday on a damaged levee in Guangfu caused by this week's overflow, with completion expected within two weeks to a month.

Also, in a plan to redirect the course of Matai'an Creek, four excavators were deployed in the morning to carry out the work, with six more scheduled for deployment on Saturday. The work is expected to be completed within two days.

Military recovery efforts

Military personnel from various commands continued Friday to help clear the flood debris in residents' homes.

In a news release, the Army's Huadong Defense Command said a total of 2,008 soldiers from various units have been deployed to Guangfu to help with recovery efforts there.

The mission is to "restore homes in the shortest time and at the fastest speed," the command said.

Troops are working in small alleys and damaged residences, while various vehicles and equipment are being deployed on main and rural roads to accelerate their reopening.