Taiwan's Caoling Dam Faces Imminent Danger: Evacuation Warnings Issued

Authorities Race Against Time as Landslide Creates Hazardous Lake

In Yunlin County's Gukeng Township, the village of Caoling is facing an immediate threat due to a landslide that has blocked the Qingshui River, forming a dangerous dammed lake. Following continuous heavy rainfall, the Fourth River Management Office, in conjunction with personnel from the Gukeng Township Office, conducted an on-site assessment. The preliminary judgment indicates that the dammed lake poses an immediate danger. Consequently, at 1:30 PM, a breach warning was issued to four townships: Gukeng and Linnei in Yunlin County, Meishan in Chiayi County, and Zhushan in Nantou County. Residents along the riverbanks may need to be evacuated if necessary. Li Youping, the Director of the Fourth River Management Office, stated that they are currently in a race against time and are proceeding with careful consideration.

The Fourth River Management Office received a report yesterday evening regarding a dammed lake upstream of the Qingshui River. An investigation revealed that the water level at the Qingshui River Bridge station dropped by 1.2 meters within 20 minutes, indicating a significant decrease in upstream water flow. This confirmed that the Qingshui River's flow had indeed been obstructed by a landslide, creating the dammed lake. An emergency response team was immediately established. This morning, officials from the Fourth River Management Office, along with the Gukeng Township Office and contracted engineers, visited the site to assess the scale of the landslide and the volume of water impounded, in order to formulate subsequent response measures.