Massive Lake Overflow in Taiwan! Typhoon Ragasa Causes Tsunami-like Flood in Hualien!

Massive Lake Overflow in Taiwan! Typhoon Ragasa Causes Tsunami-like Flood in Hualien!

The severe flooding caused by super 
typhoon Ragasa in the Halian region of eastern Taiwan turned into a major tragedy 
as the barrier lake overflowed and hit Guangfu town with massive water masses eroding rivers. 
destroying bridges, sweeping away vehicles, and leaving hundreds of people helpless as 
the waters rose to the second floor of houses. At 300 p.m. local time on Tuesday afternoon, 
the barrier lake formed by landslides in July overflowed on the Matayan River. This lake 
containing approximately 91 million tons of water lost its balance when a dam collapsed 
and turned into a huge wall of flood water in just one hour advancing towards downstream 
settlements. Authorities had predicted that the flood would only affect a few points along 
the riverbank. But their predictions were wrong. Instead of taking 2 hours, the massive 
body of water reached the town of Guang Fu, home to 12,000 people, in just one hour, 
submerging the town under several meters of water. In Guangfu, flood waters rose as high 
as the second floor of some houses and reached onetory high in the city center. 
Bridges collapsed, vehicles were swept away, and trees were uprooted. Many people lost their 
lives, trapped inside their homes. According to official statements, at least 17 people died as 
a result of the disaster. 32 were injured and 46 were unaccounted for for a long time. The initial 
number of missing persons was reported as 152, but this number was later reduced 
as many people were found alive. When the waters hit the town, the people 
experienced great panic. According to survivors, no mandatory warning had been issued immediately 
before the disaster. Guang Fu, a postman, said the waters hit like a tsunami and explained 
that he was able to save his life by climbing to the second floor of the post office. However, 
when he returned, he saw that his car had been swept into the living room. Most of the 
local people tried to survive by climbing onto their roofs during the sudden onslaught, 
while some took refuge in evacuation centers. The Taiwanese prime minister announced that 
an investigation would be launched into what went wrong with the evacuation orders 
following the disaster. According to him, the issue was not about assigning blame, but about 
uncovering the facts. We must investigate why the evacuation orders were not implemented for 
the 14 people who tragically lost their lives, he said. Following his statement, the death 
toll rose to 17. These words sparked public debate about the mishandling of the 
disaster. This is because in Taiwan, which is frequently hit by typhoons, disaster 
response mechanisms normally work quickly under normal circumstances, preventing 
mass casualties through evacuations. Immediately after the incident, the army sent 
340 soldiers to the area. Advancing through muddy streets and armored personnel carriers, soldiers 
went doortodoor, distributing water and prepared food to the public. Wrecked cars and motorcycles 
were scattered around Guang Fu streets. The Matayon River barrier lake located at the 
center of the disaster posed a major threat to settlements approximately 11 km away. 3/4 
of the approximately 91 million tons of water spilled downstream during the overflow. 
This amount was equivalent to filling 36,000 Olympiciz swimming pools. Officials thought 
the water would reach settlements in 2 hours, but it flooded Guang Fu within an hour, 
rendering their preparations futile. Academic circles had drawn attention to this risk. 
Professor Chen explained that they had predicted the rains could overflow the lake, that the water 
rose rapidly when part of the dam collapsed, and that this was within their predictions. According 
to him, the real problem was that the public was not evacuated properly. This shortcoming 
increased the severity of the disaster. Indeed, as Typhoon Raasa approached the island, the 
central government repeatedly warned Haleian officials to speed up evacuations. 7,000 people 
were evacuated and three centers were set up. However, these evacuations were not mandatory 
and many people chose to stay in their homes. Oh my god. Typhoon Rega dumped approximately 
1 m of rain on eastern Taiwan. But the densely populated areas in the west, which are 
the center of the semiconductor industry, were largely unaffected by the disaster. This 
prevented damage to the sector that forms the backbone of the country’s economy. However, 
agriculture, tourism, and local commerce in the east, suffered serious blows. The Moricott 
typhoon, which struck the south in 2009, killed approximately 700 people and 
caused billions of dollars in damage. The destruction caused by Rasa, reminiscent 
of Morocott, created deep trauma in society. The Taiwan Central News Agency reported that the 
lake overflowed in two waves. After the first wave, a much larger flood wave occurred around 
4:30 p.m. This wave rapidly advanced through Guang Fu streets, sweeping away vehicles, destroying 
bridges, and forcing hundreds of people to take refuge on rooftops. When the waters receded, a 
town filled with mud, debris, and rubble remained. It is fair to say that this season has been 
exceptionally difficult for Taiwan as the island has been deeply shaken not only by the 
destruction caused by super typhoon Ragasa, but also by the impact of successive disasters 
throughout the year. Located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, Taiwan is a country that has had 
to adapt to living both in the direct path of tropical typhoons and under the pressure of 
active fault lines. However, the intensity of recent disasters has created a level of anxiety 
rarely seen before in the public consciousness. Following the 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck 
in 2024, Wianne, which was struggling to recover, suffered another major blow with the flood 
disaster caused by Raasa. However, throughout the year, states of emergency were frequently declared 
in different parts of the country due to floods, landslides, and heavy rainfall. This situation, 
combined with the intense typhoon season brought by the subtropical climate, keeps the risk of 
disasters in Taiwan constantly high. The east coast in particular is among the most vulnerable 
areas due to its mountainous terrain and limited infrastructure experiencing landslides 
and flash floods following heavy rainfall. Expectations for the future are worrying. 
Scientists predict that typhoons will become more frequent and powerful as ocean 
temperatures in the Pacific rise. This means an increased risk of flooding and 
landslides not only in coastal areas but also in the interior of the country. Although 
Taiwan’s disaster response mechanisms have been praised for their rapid intervention so 
far, the disruptions in evacuation processes following the Regassa disaster once again 
highlighted the need to improve the system. After the disaster, China’s Taiwan Affairs 
Office offered condolences to the Taipei government in a rare show of goodwill from 
the Beijing administration. Taiwan, meanwhile, began investigations to prevent a similar 
tragedy from happening again in the future while also searching for the missing. Hian’s wild 
nature and tourist appeal add value to the region but also increase the destructive effects of 
natural disasters. The deep scars left by Raasa will remain a tragedy long remembered not only 
by the people of Guang Fu, but by all of Taiwan following this major disaster in Taiwan’s 
Halian region. We extend our condolences to the families of those who lost their lives 
and wish the injured a speedy recovery. We wish all those affected by the disaster 
well. We hope that the wounds of this tragic event will be healed as soon as possible through 
solidarity and a strong reconstruction process. You can subscribe to our channel to follow the 
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Taiwan’s eastern Hualien region was hit by a massive flood disaster triggered by Super Typhoon Ragasa. The barrier lake on the Matai’an Creek overflowed, submerging the town of Guangfu under several meters of water. Bridges collapsed, vehicles were swept away, and homes were inundated up to their second floors. According to official reports, at least 17 people lost their lives, dozens were injured, and many were reported missing. Failures in evacuation and emergency response sparked public debate, while the military deployed hundreds of soldiers to assist with rescue and relief operations.

#Taiwan
#Hualien
#Flood
#TyphoonRagasa

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