Car-sized boulder causes landslide, blocks Xitou access road; emergency repairs underway

A massive boulder, roughly the size of a car, crashed onto a key road leading to Xitou in Nantou County's Lugu Township on Tuesday morning. The landslide occurred at the 13.2-kilometer mark of Provincial Highway 151, completely blocking the route and halting traffic.

Officials attribute the collapse to heavy rainfall from the recent Typhoon Bawee, which saturated the soil on the mountainside. Further strong downpours on Monday exacerbated the unstable geological conditions, leading to the rockfall. Fortunately, no vehicles or individuals were harmed during the incident.

While protective netting was in place, the sheer size of the boulder overwhelmed the safety measures. Emergency repair crews worked swiftly to clear a single lane, allowing for two-way traffic to resume. Full restoration of normal two-way traffic is anticipated by evening. The Nantou County government plans to seek central government funding for repairs and will assess the overall slope stability to prevent future occurrences.