Guangfu residents share struggles to rebuild life after deadly floods

Taipei, Oct. 7 (CNA) Residents of Guangfu Township in eastern Taiwan's Hualien County spoke on Monday about their heavy losses and uncertainty following deadly floods triggered by Typhoon Ragasa.

When the typhoon caused the overflow of the Matai'an Creek barrier lake on Sept. 23, torrents of water and mud swept through Guangfu, killing 18 people and inundating homes and businesses with debris.

● 6 remain missing as search continues after Hualien floods: CEOC

In an interview with CNA, an eatery owner, surnamed Chiu (邱), said the flood swept away all her equipment, destroying the storefront she had built through years of hard work.

Having lived in Guangfu for more than 20 years, Chiu said her house near Fozu Street -- one of the worst-hit areas -- has been cleaned but now stands empty, as she lost all her furniture.

She added that in a small town like Guangfu, where a bowl of noodles usually sells for about NT$70 (US$2.28), it will be difficult to raise funds to rebuild her business.

"Many console me by saying 'staying alive is lucky enough,' but is it really?" she said.

A joss paper and disposable tableware shop owner, surnamed Huang (黃), shared a similar story. She ran her business for 30 years before it was destroyed overnight by the flood, causing losses of several million NT dollars.

Now in her fifties, she said she feels "overwhelmed" by the thought of rebuilding and is unsure whether to retire or start over, adding that she plans to take a break and hopes for more government compensation.

"For now, we just want our doors to close properly," she said.

The severe flooding and the deaths of many elderly residents drove 72-year-old Liu San-mei (劉三妹) to leave Guangfu altogether, saying the disaster had left her "too afraid to stay."

Meanwhile, Su Hsiu-lien (蘇秀蓮), who runs an organic farm in Guangfu, said she intends to rebuild her farmland rather than give up.

She said that although the government has yet to provide clear guidance on whether the township will be rebuilt or relocated, most locals favor rebuilding.

On Monday, the central government announced it will provide NT$350,000 per household affected by property damage, including NT$200,000 in home repair subsidies, NT$100,000 in condolence payments, and NT$50,000 for cleanup efforts.