TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Tropical Storm Fung-wong triggered devastating floods Tuesday (Nov. 11) in Mingli Village (明利村), Wanrong Township (萬榮鄉), Hualien County (花蓮縣), after Matai'an Creek (馬太鞍溪) burst its banks. The village chief confirmed a levee breach remained unsealed before the typhoon struck, causing mudslides to inundate main roads. Officials had inspected the levee a day earlier without detecting overflow risks.
Aerial footage captured the river's violent surge as floodwaters overwhelmed the community. The village chief accused authorities of ignoring levee breach warnings since Sept. 23, when Guangfu Township (光復鄉) suffered similar flooding. Lin Yuan-peng (林元鵬), director of the Water Resources Agency under Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs, apologized Tuesday and promised immediate flood prevention measures.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs, Taiwan's cabinet-level economic agency, responded that day after the village chief recommended extending the levee following a Sept. 27 landslide lake incident. Officials assessed the area's flood risk as low and chose short-term protective measures instead. The ministry completed 2,860 meters (3,127 yards) of levee repairs and channel dredging in 11 days, reducing Guangfu Township's flood impact.
The Water Resources Agency deployed heavy machinery Monday for water diversion and installed temporary wave-blocking measures, slightly reducing community water levels across the affected region. The ministry emphasized continuous rainfall monitoring, emergency readiness protocols, and accelerated repair schedules to minimize ongoing damage to residents' homes and infrastructure. ◼
>>> For comprehensive weather updates, consult these official meteorological agencies:
- Central Weather Administration (CWA, 中央氣象署), Taiwan's national weather service: CWA Typhoon Information: https://www.cwa.gov.tw/V8/E/P/Typhoon/TY_NEWS.html
- Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), U.S. Navy's Pacific storm tracking facility: JTWC Tropical Warnings: https://www.metoc.navy.mil/jtwc/jtwc.html
- Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA, 気象庁), Japan's official weather authority: JMA Tropical Cyclone Information: https://www.data.jma.go.jp/multi/cyclone/cyclone_detail.html?id=61&lang=en
>>> In case of a typhoon, you should prepare for the storm and avoid going outside. Stay away from beaches and coastal areas for wave-watching or water activities. Be alert for strong winds and heavy rain while watching for landslides and falling rocks. Remember that emergency assistance is available at 119/1999, maritime emergencies at 118, and police or disaster reporting at 110/119.