At Least 14 People Killed and 30 Missing After Natural Dam Collapse in Eastern Taiwan
At least 14 people have been killed and 30 others are missing after a natural dam collapsed on a river in eastern Taiwan, following the passage of Cyclone Ragasa. Local authorities confirmed the toll on Wednesday.
A spokesperson for the Hualien County government stated that "as of 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday, 14 deaths and 18 injuries had been confirmed." The spokesperson added that "the number of missing people, according to the National Fire Agency, was 30 as of last night, and our teams are continuing the search efforts."
The heavy rainfall accompanying Cyclone Ragasa, one of the strongest in years, triggered a landslide that caused the collapse of a natural dam. The dam had been holding back the waters of a lake formed upstream of the Matayan River. The collapse of the dam led to the flooding of the lake, causing a bridge to collapse, inundating a neighboring village, and trapping hundreds of people, according to authorities.
The cyclone also hit the coast of Hong Kong early on Wednesday morning, paralyzing life in southern China. It left a trail of destruction in its wake, with strong winds waking up Hong Kong residents in the early hours of the day. The wind tore off parts of a pedestrian bridge roof and uprooted trees throughout the city. Hospitals treated around 13 injured people.
Key Facts:
- At least 14 people killed and 30 missing after natural dam collapse in eastern Taiwan
- Cyclone Ragasa triggered landslide, causing dam collapse and flooding
- Hundreds of people trapped, with search efforts ongoing
- Cyclone also hit Hong Kong, causing destruction and injuring 13 people
- Strong winds and heavy rainfall affected southern China, paralyzing life in the region
