Suhua Highway tunnel blocked by landslide in east Taiwan

東台灣蘇花公路隧道塌方受阻

Highway between Yilan and Hualien could be cut off for at least 2 to 3 days


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A section of a rock shed on the Suhua Highway in eastern Taiwan was crushed by a landslide late on Wednesday evening (Jan. 11), blocking traffic on the highway.

A rock shed connecting the Xiulin Township Tunnel in Hualien County to the No. 13 Tunnel (Daqingshui Tunnel) was crushed by a landslide at 11:55 p.m. on Wednesday, reported Liberty Times. The site of the collapse is at the 159.3-kilometer mark on Provincial Highway 9, which is also part of the Suhua Highway.

Directorate General of Highways (DGH) Director-General Chen Wen-juei (陳文瑞) is reportedly rushing to the scene to inspect the damage. Lin Tsung-li (林聰利), deputy director of the DGH was cited by the news agency as saying that the slope that collapsed is made of marble rock.

Lin said that recent earthquakes and frequent rainfall had caused cracks in the rock, leading to the landslide which caused the collapse. Lin estimates that it will take two to three days to clear the shed of debris, but the exact amount of time needed is still being evaluated by on-site repair personnel.

Li shun-cheng (李順成), executive secretary of the DGH's disaster prevention center said that there were no people inside the rock shed when it collapsed based on CCTV footage reviewed by police. Since this area is the same section as the Suhua Highway Improvement Project and the old Suhua Highway, it means that the road corridor between Su'ao Township in Yilan County and Hualien County is impassable.

Presently, the Taiwan Railways Administration is preparing additional local trains and sea transportation services as alternatives. In terms of the progress of repairs, Li said that because space is very limited in the rock shed, it will not be possible to complete repairs within the next one to two days.

He advised members of the public who wish to drive to Hualien, that it would be necessary to detour south to Taitung first, before heading north to Hualien. Other options include public transportation, such as railways and ferries.