Wanli River barrier lake alert lowered; bridges to close at night

Taipei, July 20 (CNA) The Central Emergency Operations Center (CEOC) on Monday lowered the alert for a barrier lake on Hualien County's Wanli River to a monitoring level, but said that bridges in the surrounding area will remain closed at night as a precaution.

Aerial images taken by the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (FANCA) at noon on Monday showed no overflow at the barrier lake.

Water continues to seep into the gap between the barrier lake and the surrounding terrain. The water's volume was still increasing, but there were no signs of an immediate breach, the agency's data indicated.

Minister Without Portfolio Chi Lien-cheng (季連成), who also serves as commander of the CEOC, said the center lowered the alert from yellow -- indicating unstable water levels -- to regular monitoring at 3 p.m., based on information from the FANCA.

Because conditions at the barrier lake had stabilized, the CEOC had already dropped the alert level from red, which warns of severe flooding, to yellow early Monday.

Chi said that if a red alert is reinstated, the local government must evacuate affected communities within two hours.

At the Monday CEOC session, Chi said bridges in the warning zones are to be closed after 10 p.m.

He had also ordered FANCA's Hualien branch to strengthen monitoring of the barrier lake, requiring it to report on the status of the barrier lake three to four times a day.

Information on the lake must also be shared with the central government, township offices, and the county government so authorities can track changes in water levels and dams, respond to sudden anomalies and quickly impose alerts.

Chi also said that subsequent standards for alerts will be determined by the weather's severity.

If the Central Weather Administration forecasts that rainfall will exceed 200 millimeters in 24 hours, a yellow alert will be issued.

Meanwhile, if rainfall is expected to exceed 200 mm within 12 hours, a red alert will be immediately issued.

The standards will guide the alert and response protocols of the Hualien County Government and the Wanrung and Fenglin township offices.

Chi said he had asked the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) to provide subsidies to watermelon farmers whose crops are affected by the government restrictions while the barrier lake remains under alert.

Although the lake's alert level has been lowered, Chi added that the Wanli River channel remains under a red alert.

The MOA and Hualien County government will continue Level 3 monitoring and response operations.

With the channel still under a red alert, public access by people, vehicles and heavy machinery is restricted.