Elderly couple swept away by floodwater in Pingtung

Aug 24, 2026

Heavy rain in southern Taiwan turned a stream into a deadly hazard, killing off hopes for a quick rescue and leaving one man missing.

  • A couple in their 70s riding a scooter in Wandan township were knocked down by fast-moving water that had spilled over a stream bank.
  • The woman survived by grabbing onto a tree; her husband was swept downstream and is still missing.
  • The water is moving too fast for rescue boats, so crews are searching the banks with drones instead.
  • The coast guard has joined the search at the mouth of the Donggang River, where the current may have carried him.
  • Days of nonstop rain have flooded roads across Pingtung County, catching drivers off guard.

Outlook: Searchers will keep working downstream, but the odds of a rescue fall the longer the water stays high.

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