Manager Rescued After Being Swept Away by Floodwaters in Hualien Construction Site

A construction site manager in Hualien County, Taiwan, miraculously survived after being swept away by a flash flood on the afternoon of June 8. The manager, surnamed Deng, was working on a forestry project when he was caught in the torrent while trying to evacuate machinery.

River waters in Guangfu Township's Maotaoan Creek surged dramatically due to heavy rains. Deng's vehicle was reportedly swept away by the floodwaters. Emergency services and the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency's Hualien branch immediately launched a search and rescue operation.

Late that evening, rescuers received a report that Deng was spotted on a large rock downstream. Firefighters used a drone equipped with thermal imaging to make contact with him around 11 p.m. The rescue was challenging due to the muddy riverbanks and the victim's location on a sandbar. Volunteer firefighters and friends braved the difficult conditions to reach him. Deng was conscious but weak when they made contact.

By 4:39 a.m. on June 9, a team of rescuers successfully extracted Deng using a boat and ropes. He was then rushed to Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital for treatment. The incident highlights the dangers faced by workers during severe weather events and the swift response of emergency personnel.

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At 1:00 p.m. on the 8th, we received a report of a jeep being washed away by the creek in the upper reaches of the Maotaoan River in Guangfu Township. The fire department immediately assembled personnel for rescue. At 9:21 p.m., we received another report from the public stating that someone was calling for help on a sandbar downstream near the Ataomo section. We immediately rushed to the scene and used a drone to find a person on a large rock in the river.