Hualien: A small barrier lake has formed on Hualien County’s Matai’an Creek and is expected to overflow within 24 hours, local authorities announced noon Tuesday.

According to Focus Taiwan, the Hualien County Government has reported that the new lake has a capacity of around 600,000 tons of water. This is significantly smaller than the main Matai’an Creek barrier lake located approximately a kilometer upstream. Last month, the overflow of the main lake resulted in the tragic loss of 19 lives.

As a safety measure, the county government has instructed all machinery and personnel to evacuate the river area immediately. Additionally, the county has stated that a temporary access road near the Matai’an Creek Bridge on Provincial Highway No. 9 will be closed if necessary. Drivers are advised to plan alternative routes in advance to avoid any disruptions.