TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The National Fire Agency (消防署), Taiwan's emergency response authority, reported Wednesday (Sept. 24) that Matai'an Creek Barrier Lake overflow left 17 dead, 32 injured, and 17 missing. Rescue workers deployed to Hualien County, eastern Taiwan's mountainous region, to assist with ongoing search and recovery efforts. Officials coordinate multi-agency response operations across the disaster zone.
The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (交通部), Taiwan's transportation authority, tasked the Highway Bureau with constructing a temporary riverbed culvert by Oct. 15. Officials plan to complete a steel bridge by February 2026 and a permanent single-lane bridge by the end of next year. The Huadong Defense Command (陸軍2作戰區), a regional military unit, deployed 448 troops and equipment for recovery operations.
Hualien County officials cleared vehicles from Provincial Highway 193, directing traffic to alternative routes such as Route 46, which adds 30 minutes to travel time. The Fengnan rain gauge station (豐南雨量站) in Fuli Township (富里鄉) recorded 40.5 mm of rain at 10:40 p.m. Tuesday (Sept. 23), prompting precautionary closure of parts of Route 23. Authorities will announce reopening times based on weather and road conditions.
Transportation Minister Chen Shi-kai (陳世凱) emphasized that the Matai'an Bridge's design met standards, stating the destruction had little to do with its design. He expressed commitment to reconstructing a single-lane permanent bridge by the end of next year. Officials defend infrastructure standards while promising rapid reconstruction efforts.