Hualien to order mandatory evacuation ahead of possible storm

Taipei, Oct. 14 (CNA) Authorities in Hualien County will evacuate about 8,600 residents over the weekend from areas affected by last month's Matai'an barrier lake overflow, as a tropical storm is likely to approach Taiwan, Central Emergency Operation Center (CEOC) chief coordinator Chi Lien-cheng (季連成) said Tuesday.

Chi said the evacuation will serve as a precautionary measure ahead of potential severe weather, replacing earlier simulations that could not be completed in time.

The large-scale evacuation, scheduled for Oct. 19 or 20, will be conducted in three phases across Guangfu, Fenglin and Wanrong townships, with 10 shelters to be opened for residents, Chi said.

He instructed that all heavy machinery assisting in post-flood cleanup report their evacuation routes in advance and ordered broadcasting systems to be restored by Thursday to ensure alerts can be issued.

Police, firefighters, soldiers and 10 medium-sized buses will be stationed near the Guangfu Sugar Factory, which will serve as a temporary emergency response coordination hub, according to Chi.

He said the mandatory evacuation will provide a realistic "pressure test" for emergency teams and help the Hualien County government refine its disaster-response procedures.

A coordination meeting with local officials and village heads will be held on Wednesday afternoon to finalize arrangements, he added.

The planned evacuation follows the collapse of the Matai'an barrier lake in late September, which left multiple people dead and caused extensive flooding.

In its aftermath, the CEOC revised its evacuation protocols, abandoning the "vertical evacuation" approach, which advised residents to shelter on upper floors, after local authorities found it impractical and difficult to enforce.