With continuous rainfall, the approach to the temporary bridge at Lide on Taiwan’s South Cross-Island Highway has been washed away. The highway maintenance division has opened the new Lide Bridge as an emergency route. Eight teachers from the Lide branch of Wulu Elementary School spent over an hour hiking up the Tianlong Ancient Trail to reach the school. Meanwhile, 22 stranded hikers spent the night at a local police station, where officers provided hot meals—all individuals are safe.
Although rainfall in Taitung yesterday was moderate, some areas still saw sudden rises in river levels and scattered road collapses. Among them, early yesterday morning, a landslide occurred below Tianlong Hotel on the South Cross-Island Highway, washing away the approach to the Lide temporary bridge. Led by school principal Qiu Rongyi, the eight teachers from the Lide branch of Wulu Elementary School hiked for about an hour via the Tianlong Ancient Trail before being picked up by police car from the Lide police station and taken to the school.
Meanwhile, multiple landslides occurred between Motianling and Xiangyang Recreation Area on the South Cross-Island Highway, cutting off the road. Due to ongoing heavy rain in the mountainous region, repair work could not proceed. Twenty-two hikers descending from Jioming Lake were stranded at the police station, where officers provided hot meals and accommodated them for the night.
The Hualien Highway Maintenance Division reported that the landslide below Tianlong Hotel has been cleared. As for the Lide temporary bridge, the new Lide Bridge has been temporarily opened for use. Additionally, there were scattered landslides on the South Link Highway between Nantian and Shouka sections. The highway bureau advises tour buses to avoid this route.