Typhoon's Fury: Ma Ta An Creek Bridge in Hualien Washed Away by Torrential Rains

Spectacular Aerial Footage Reveals Bridge Piers Standing Alone Amidst Raging Floodwaters
Typhoon's Fury: Ma Ta An Creek Bridge in Hualien Washed Away by Torrential Rains

The outer bands of Typhoon Kajiki brought torrential downpours, causing a landslide-induced lake on the Ma Ta An Creek in Hualien to overflow its dam at 2:50 PM today, September 23rd. The surge of water and sediment rapidly moved downstream, reaching the Ma Ta An Creek Bridge around 3:30 PM. The powerful current ultimately overwhelmed and destroyed the bridge. Recent aerial footage has emerged, showing the bridge structure broken into several sections and swept towards the riverbanks, leaving only the bridge piers isolated in the raging floodwaters.

Aerial view of the destroyed Ma Ta An Creek Bridge in Hualien.

The location of the upstream landslide-induced lake on the Ma Ta An Creek in Hualien. (Image captured from Google Maps.)