Super Typhoon Ragasa-Triggered Barrier Lake Burst Kills 14, Leaves Dozens Missing in Taiwan

A tragic disaster has unfolded in eastern Taiwan as a decades-old barrier lake burst its banks under the relentless onslaught of Super Typhoon Ragasa, resulting in a catastrophic flood that has left at least 14 people dead and dozens still unaccounted for. The calamity struck on Tuesday, September 23, in Hualien County, when a natural dam, created by an ancient landslide, gave way, unleashing a torrent of water and mud onto the unsuspecting town of Guangfu.

The floodwaters, described by a local resident as a “volcano erupting,” surged into homes and submerged vehicles. Eyewitnesses reported that water levels rose to the second floor of some houses within minutes, trapping over 260 people and washing away a crucial bridge. Officials are still working to determine the precise number of missing persons, with initial reports varying between 124 and 152 people.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, Taiwan’s Premier, Cho Jung-tai, visited the devastated region and promised swift government aid. He also announced a formal inquiry into why evacuation orders were not carried out effectively, a crucial question given Taiwan’s typically well-managed disaster response system. Over 7,600 people were evacuated across the island due to Typhoon Ragasa’s impact, but the failure to evacuate some areas in Hualien has become a central point of concern.

Rescue teams are working tirelessly to reach the affected areas and search for survivors amid the widespread destruction. The disaster has drawn somber comparisons to Typhoon Morakot in 2009, which killed nearly 700 people and serves as a painful reminder of the power of tropical storms that frequently batter the island between July and October.