On September 23, 2025, a catastrophic overflow (and possible breach) occurred at the Matainan Creek landslide dam lake (堰塞湖, often called the “Ma Tai An Creek dammed lake”) in Hualien County, Taiwan. The overflow unleashed torrential water and debris downstream, devastating the township of Guangfu (光復鄉) and nearby areas. 

The Disaster: Overflow, Breach, and Flooding

Upstream, heavy rains associated with Typhoon Huajia’s peripheral circulation had been saturating the watershed.  The dammed lake held enormous volume — roughly 91 million cubic meters at full capacity — before the overflow began.  As waters overtopped, erosion and rapid incision caused the breach or overflow channel to deepen, rapidly releasing massive flows toward downstream communities. 

At 14:50 local time, the overflow event started.  Within a short span, over 15 million m³ of water surged out, carrying debris and sediment.  The flood destroyed the Matainan Creek bridge along Highway 9, breached the south embankment, and inundated Guangfu Township. 

The town’s streets, residences, and farmland were submerged. Communication lines, power, and water supply lines were cut. Thousands of households lost utilities.  According to official counts, the disaster claimed 18 lives, left 6 missing, and injured over 107 people. 

Authorities had issued evacuation orders before the overflow, relocating over 8,500 people from high-risk villages.  However, critics argue that communication and timing were flawed, and some residents did not fully understand the severity. 

“Shovel Heroes” (鏟子英雄 / 鏟子超人)

In the days following the disaster, thousands of volunteers spontaneously converged on Guangfu and surrounding zones, carrying simple tools such as shovels and working with bare hands to remove mud, debris, and trash. These volunteers became widely known in the media and social channels as “Shovel Heroes” (鏟子英雄 / 鏟子超人). 

One news report stated that on a single day, more than 30,000 shovel-wielding volunteers took trains to reach the disaster zone.  Their muddy footprints left traces in train cars, which railway operators called “gentle footprints” in recognition of their sacrifice. 

By the end of September, over 5,586 metric tons of debris and muck had been cleared from roads and homes.  The volunteer ranks included ordinary citizens, community groups, religious organizations, and local and cross-regional aid teams.  The “Shovel Hero” movement captured public imagination and praise; the President of Taiwan also praised them, stating, “heroes don’t always wear capes, sometimes their hands hold a shovel.” 

Official Rescue and Recovery Operations

In parallel to grassroots volunteer efforts, government agencies and the military mobilized large rescue and recovery forces.  The Tainan County Fire Department, local fire agencies, and 87 fire apparatus with 180 personnel were among those first deployed.  Military forces prepared standby units: over 27,867 troops and 3,853 vehicles, and equipment were put into readiness.  Cross-regional support from multiple counties’ fire agencies and civil defense units also joined. 

To stabilize riverbanks and prevent further inundation, heavy machinery — excavators, dump trucks, concrete barriers, and water pumps — were brought in.  Authorities constructed deep water diversion channels and deployed 68 excavators in downstream river channels to divert flow away from vulnerable areas. 

Water level monitoring continued by drones and aerial surveys, which revealed that the dam’s crest had been eroded down to as low as 82 m in spots.  The residual water volume had dropped dramatically — from tens of millions of cubic meters down to roughly 6 million cubic meters — as the lake emptied. 

Restoration plans include repairing a nearly 2,860-meter length of embankment, rebuilding highway bridges, and restoring utilities (water, power, telecom).  The government aims to complete the first line of flood defenses within two weeks, main embankment repairs in one month, and full reconstruction before the next flood season. 

Reflections and Challenges

The Hualien landslide dam disaster underscores several lessons and challenges:

• The speed of erosion once overflow begins means that even a small delay can escalate a manageable situation into a catastrophic breach.

• Communication and timely warning to the public are critical. Delayed or ambiguous alerts may cost lives. 

• The “Shovel Heroes” phenomenon shows how strong civic spirit and volunteerism can complement formal rescue efforts. However, coordinating such spontaneous volunteer deployments poses logistical, safety, and resource challenges.

• In the long run, better monitoring, early detection, preemptive drainage, and infrastructure resilience are essential to mitigate future risks.

This tragedy is still under investigation, with authorities reviewing whether the event should be classified as pure overflow or an actual structural breach (i.e. dam collapse).  The heroic efforts of volunteers, local rescuers, and government units together paint a story of tragedy and solidarity — and of nature’s power tested against human resolve.

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Author: New Congress