Taiwanese authorities monitor barrier lake formed by landslide

Heavy rains in Taiwan's Nantou County have caused a landslide, forming a barrier lake with an estimated 100,000 tons of water in Zhushan Township. The lake, located upstream of the Ruilong Waterfall scenic area, poses a potential risk due to its location along a difficult-to-access river path.

To monitor the situation, the Water Resources Agency's Nantou branch is installing surveillance cameras and deploying drones to track water levels and changes in the downstream river channel. These measures aim to enable timely responses to any potential overflow or breach.

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The barrier lake has an estimated storage capacity of about 100,000 tons. If a one-time breach occurs, it is estimated that the downstream water level will rise by about 0.7 meters.

While the lake has begun to naturally overflow and carve a new channel, authorities are proceeding with caution. Initial assessments indicate that a sudden breach would raise downstream water levels by approximately 0.7 meters. The Ruilong Waterfall suspension bridge is situated about 32 meters above the riverbed, suggesting a limited direct impact. Nevertheless, the Nantou County government has placed warning signs around the riverbed, urging the public to avoid activities like playing in the water or creek tracing due to the risk of dangerous water level fluctuations.

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The Ruilong Waterfall suspension bridge is about 32 meters above the riverbed, and the initial assessment indicates that the direct impact is limited.