Kaohsiung Retaining Wall Collapses Three Times in Five Days, Residents Cry Out in Fear

A retaining wall in Kaohsiung’s Xiaogang District collapsed for the third time in five days, prompting a witness to shout, “It’s coming down,” four times. No one was injured.

The latest collapse occurred at about 9 a.m. on Songfu Street. Video showed soil loosening first, followed by cracks spreading from the wall’s joints. A section initially stopped at an angle of about 45 degrees, but soil and trees behind it then slid down and crushed the wall. Construction workers repeatedly blew whistles to warn people away before it fell.

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It’s coming down.

The wall had already failed twice. On the afternoon of August 28, a large amount of soil slid down and pushed the wall into the road, leaving the debris only a short distance from nearby homes. Another section, several dozen meters long, collapsed at nearly 9 p.m. on August 30 and crushed a row of sandbags.

Online commenters speculated that ground anchors had failed and could no longer hold the structure. They also warned that further rain could worsen the situation and questioned whether residents should evacuate. Authorities had not yet determined the actual cause.

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The rain really has been extreme. I have lived here for more than 20 years and always thought the mountain opposite my home was safe, but it just collapsed.