"Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping; that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace."
⸺ Copied from pages 134 and 135 in The Book of Common Prayer.
Deadly Floods Hit Hualien After Typhoon Ragasa
HUALIEN, Taiwan — Deadly floods swept through Hualien County (花蓮縣) after Typhoon Ragasa (樺加沙颱風) caused a huge landslide lake on Matai’an Creek (馬太鞍溪) to overflow, sending water and debris into Guangfu Township (光復鄉) on September 23. Streets in the town center were covered by water as high as a one-story building.
By late afternoon on September 24, officials reported 17 dead*, 32 injured, and 17 missing across Taiwan, with most victims in Hualien. Many were elderly residents trapped on the first floors of homes along Dunhou Road (敦厚路) and Fozu Street (佛祖街).
The landslide lake on Matai’an Creek had grown to nearly 86 million cubic meters of water—95% of its capacity—before it gave way. Within the first hour, the lake level fell 26 meters, releasing about 60 million tons of water, equal to thousands of Olympic swimming pools.
The dam was formed after years of slope collapses, worsened by the April 2024 Hualien earthquake and heavy rains during Typhoon Wipha (薇帕颱風) in July 2025. Authorities spotted the lake by satellite in July and began monitoring, but its collapse was too powerful to stop.
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* Note: The numbers were later updated to “14 dead, 32 injured, and 46 missing” as of 10:00 p.m. on September 24, according to UDN (聯合新聞網), and to “14 dead, 52 injured, and 34 missing” as of 10:00 a.m. on September 25, according to China Times (中時新聞網). Beyond these numbers are real people and families facing loss and hardship; the floods on Martai’an Creek leave me sorrowful for all who suffer. May comfort and strength be with those who mourn and those struggling to recover.
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相關文章 (See also)：
1) Typhoon Night and My Reflections (2025)
2) An Outing: Matai'an Wetland (2025)
3) 0403 花蓮地震 (Earthquakes) (2024)
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