Yellow alert issued for Wanli Creek landslide dam in Hualien; evacuations begin in 8 downstream villages

Aug 23, 2026

Heavy rain is threatening a landslide-dammed lake in Hualien, Taiwan, and thousands of people downstream are being moved out — a serious risk for residents of Wanrong and Fenglin.

  • Forecasts show more than 200mm of rain over the next day in the lake's catchment area, enough to trigger a yellow alert.
  • Eight villages downstream are starting evacuations, with the elderly, children, and people who can't move easily going first.
  • A low-pressure system and southwest winds are driving the rain, and the river channel itself stays under the higher red alert and closed off.
  • Local officials have opened shelters at a primary school and a community hall, and have asked the military for trucks to help move people.

Outlook: If the rain comes in as forecast overnight, officials expect to escalate to a full red-alert evacuation of all at-risk households by tomorrow morning.

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