Mataian River barrier lake almost drained: FNCABy Wang Chin-yi and Hollie Younger / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Mataian River (馬太鞍溪) barrier lake in Hualien County has almost been drained after nearly a month of construction work, the Hualien branch of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (FNCA) said today. The barrier lake burst into Hualien County’s Guangfu Township (光復) on Sept. 23 last year, triggering a deadly flood that killed 19. The lake’s stored water volume has been successfully reduced from 279,000m³ to 26,000m³, the Hualien branch said. Construction equipment is pictured from above at the Mataian River barrier lake in Hualien County this morning. Excavators are pictured at the Mataian River barrier lake in Hualien County in an undated photograph.
