Hualien's Wanli Creek Landslide Lake on Red Alert; 'Secret Weapons' Deployed to Remote Villages

Hualien County has issued a red alert for the Wanli Creek landslide lake due to the anticipated heavy rainfall from Typhoon Bavi. The alert system, designed to warn residents of potential dangers, has been enhanced with the deployment of five mobile alert vehicles to reach remote villages. These vehicles are crucial as the standard sirens located at police stations and village offices may not be audible in sparsely populated areas.

The Meteorological Service issued a land warning for Typhoon Bavi, which has weakened to a moderate typhoon. Hualien County is expected to receive 100 to 300 millimeters of rain in 24 hours, with significant rainfall predicted to begin in the evening. The Wanli Creek landslide lake is currently at 70% capacity and is expected to rise rapidly under these conditions.

Following the red alert, residents' mobile phones received CMS alerts. The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency's Hualien branch also notified the police and fire departments to activate the landslide lake siren. The siren pattern consists of 5 seconds of sound followed by a 5-second pause, repeated nine times for a total of 85 seconds. This sequence will be broadcast multiple times to ensure maximum public awareness.

The five mobile alert vehicles are stationed at remote police posts, including Xilin and Shanxing, to cover areas like Fenglin Township, Wanrong Township, and Guangfu Township. These vehicles can be repositioned based on instructions from the disaster response center, ensuring that residents in isolated communities are not caught unaware by the warnings and have sufficient time to evacuate.