TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Hualien disaster relief enters its 17th day Thursday (Oct. 9) as volunteers continue cleanup operations in Guangfu Township (光復鄉). The Matai'an Creek (馬太鞍溪) barrier lake flooding in late September caused widespread devastation, prompting massive volunteer mobilization and supply donations including shovels and rain boots for reconstruction efforts.
A large pile of rain boots accumulated outside Guangfu's train station, where volunteers select appropriate footwear before beginning daily cleanup work. A volunteer surnamed Cheng (程), a Hong Kong resident living in Kaohsiung, Taiwan's southern port city, organized supply distribution after witnessing Hualien's devastation and urged proper disposal of excess boots.
The Central Disaster Response Center (中央災害應變中心), Taiwan's emergency coordination body, announced Thursday (Oct. 9) accident insurance coverage up to NT$1 million (around US$32,767) for volunteers. The safety measure responds to Lin Hung-sen's (林鴻森) death Monday (Oct. 6) from sepsis after suffering a foot puncture wound while volunteering, highlighting equipment safety concerns in disaster zones. ◼ (At time of reporting, US$1 equals approximately NT$30.518)