Hualien faces severe thunderstorms, but Wanli Creek reservoir area sees minimal rain; dam closely monitored

Heavy thunderstorms are expected in Hualien County, Taiwan, with the Central Weather Administration issuing an immediate warning for severe thunderstorms. However, initial estimates suggest only minimal rainfall in the crucial reservoir area of Wanli Creek.

While thunderstorms were heard in the upper reaches of the Wanli Creek valley and the "Daguan" rain gauge downstream recorded 44 millimeters of rain over three hours, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (FNCA) estimates that the actual rainfall in the reservoir's upstream catchment area was only 0.7 millimeters. Huang Qun-ce, head of the FNCA's Hualien branch, stated that they are closely monitoring the dam's condition and will provide timely updates.

The Wanli Creek landslide dam remains at a red alert level. As of 1:40 PM today, the water level has exceeded the warning high of 1086 meters by 60 centimeters, with a storage capacity of 5.2294 million cubic meters, slightly higher than the initially predicted 5.1 million cubic meters. The FNCA noted that increased seepage has delayed the dam's overflow until early morning on the 20th.

Despite the low estimated rainfall in the immediate catchment area, the FNCA is maintaining vigilance. Radar data shows significant rainfall in the mountainous areas of Hualien, but the agency is focused on the specific impact on the dam's integrity. The dam is situated very close to the Central Mountain Range's main ridge.

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According to the meteorological radar rainfall estimate, the reservoir area actually only received 0.7 millimeters of rain.