Climate and Natural Disasters

Recriminations As Hualien Flood Victims Say They Had No Warning

Published

By Andy Hsueh/John Van Trieste

Open in App

Investigations are coming as residents of a flooded Hualien community say they had no warning a barrier lake near their homes was about to burst it banks. Over a dozen are dead, and the search for missing people continues.

Hualien Mountain Lake Flood

 

At least 14 people are now confirmed dead after a dam in Hualien burst its banks due to heavy rainfall brought by Typhoon Ragasa earlier this week. Victims’ relatives and survivors say there was no evacuation order despite the risk. As John Van Trieste reports, it’s an issue that’s bringing local and central governments head-to-head.

 

REPORTER:

Rescuers and search dogs scour the mud and the destruction in Hualien County. It’s been three days since a lake in the mountains violently burst its banks in a typhoon, killing at least 14 in the town below.

 

Victims’ relatives and survivors agree: there was no early warning and no evacuation order despite alarm at Taiwan’s forestry agency at the state of the lake—and recommendations to the local government to get locals out.

 

Ms. Yang (RELATIVE OF VICTIM):  

There was no evacuation around Fozu Street. That’s why there were so many victims.

 

REPORTER:

Still, an evacuation order would have had to come from the county government—and it didn’t. The local district court is set to investigate whether negligence is to blame for the deaths.

 

The fire agency says locals did have some warning, including emergency text messages and loudspeaker broadcasts.

 

Hsiao Huan-chang (NATIONAL FIRE AGENCY HEAD):  

The village loudspeakers had a problem, so police cars went out with loudspeakers and fire trucks patrolled with loudspeakers without stopping.

 

REPORTER:

Still, many in the area say they didn’t know there was any danger before the surging floodwaters poured in. The central government says the failure to properly warn and evacuate residents needs investigating. The interior minister says Taiwan’s early warning system should have given ample warning.

 

Liu Shyh-fang (INTERIOR MINISTER):  

Many people think the warning system just goes off once and that’s it. But if there’s still danger, people nearby get automatic warnings every two hours.

 

REPORTER:

As accusations against the Hualien County Government spread online and investigations begin, the search for the 11 people still missing continues. With many residents banding together in mutual aid—to try and rebuild a community in ruins.