The proximity of Tropical Storm Nesat off Taiwan’s southern coast together with prevailing seasonal winds caused extreme rainfall in northern Taiwan. Visitors in some remote areas suddenly found themselves stranded due to mudslides.
Work crews are trying to remove debris from a road despite heavy rain and waterfalls of muddy runoff around them.
The Northern Cross-Country Highway and other mountain roads have been damaged by the weekend’s heavy rainfall in northern Taiwan.
Many visitors found themselves stranded in the mountains of Yilan County. Two hundred and ninety seven motorists and passengers trapped on the road since Sunday night were rescued and some were taken to the nearby Chilan Village. Ample food and water awaited them there, but the same cannot be said about accommodation. Some visitors were forced to sleep in conference rooms. But visitors in Chilan were gradually evacuated throughout Monday.
The situation is more dire in nearby Mighchih Village. Over 300 people have been stranded there since Sunday. With the power grid damaged, they rely on generators for electricity.
A local manager says they use electricity to cook food and some guests with serious conditions are running out of medicine. Local authorities have sent excavators to help clear debris off the road.
Tropical Storm Nesat is slowly moving away from Taiwan, but meteorologists say some parts of the country may still see heavy rain on Tuesday. In Yilan and other counties in the north, officials are already beginning to assess damage.
Tomasz Koper, RTI News