Typhoon Nesat is currently making a direct hit on eastern and southeastern Taiwan. A group of 22 hikers from Hualien had entered the mountains on the 22nd of this month to trek the Qilai East Ridge route. They were originally scheduled to exit at Shuiyuan Shabangdang. This morning, after passing Zhanian Mountain, heavy rain in the mountains and slippery roads led to the unfortunate fall of a 33-year-old hiker surnamed Huang into a valley. Team members urgently reported the incident and called for rescue personnel.
Fellow hikers told police that around 7 a.m. near the Shuiyuan Forest Road Work Station in Xiulin Township, the hiker surnamed Huang accidentally fell into a 200-meter-deep stream gulley. Seven team members stayed behind to search for him. Although they managed to locate the hiker, he had fallen into a deep valley and suffered severe injuries. He was found to have no signs of life.
The Hualien County Fire Bureau stated that after receiving the report, police immediately contacted the fire department and mountain rescue teams to proceed with the rescue. The man was found to have no breathing or heartbeat at the scene. Rescue personnel immediately requested air support for a hoisting operation. The helicopter arrived over the fall site but was unable to find a suitable location for hoisting. Around 11 a.m., the air force helicopter returned to the scene to conduct the hoisting operation. The hiker surnamed Huang was successfully lifted and carried down the mountain, then transported to Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital.
(China Times)