When the floodwater came rushing down from the mountain, Awa and her husband tried to get to their car – but it was already too late.
It was like a river outside and cars were floating. Everything started drifting, said the 42-year-old bookstore owner. The couple sought refuge on the second floor of their shop in Guangfu township, trying to save as many books as possible.
I'm still in shock. I just can't imagine how this could have happened, she said.
Like many Taiwanese, Awa is reeling from the unexpected deadly destruction caused by Super Typhoon Ragasa, despite the island not being in the direct path of this year's strongest storm.
The flood was triggered after the breaching of a barrier lake formed by landslides from an earlier typhoon. According to Huang Chao Chin, deputy commander of Taiwan's Central Emergency Operation Centre, this caused extensive damage particularly in the eastern county of Hualien.
The flood's rapid onset overwhelmed those in its path, washing away bridges and uprooting trees, with many victims being elderly individuals trapped by surging waters in their homes.
A thirty-six-year-old local school administrator shared that the authorities issued non-mandatory evacuation warnings a day prior to the storm, causing confusion and lack of adequate response.
On Tuesday, mere minutes after the lake overflowed, emergency services reported large-scale flooding. Many residents mentioned receiving no definitive warning just before the disaster struck.
There were no special flooding warnings and no broadcast, the administrator said, expressing concerns that the officials may have underestimated Ragasa's potential impact.
At least 14 people lost their lives, and 46 others are still unaccounted for following the flooding, which rose to unimaginable depths in some areas, with reports of water reaching the second floors of buildings.
In the aftermath, residents began clearing debris, with many still mourning loved ones lost in the disaster, while others like Awa face the emotional toll of not only physical damage but a sense of community loss.
I am really sad because some of the books have already run out of print, Awa lamented about her flooded shop.
This calamity further compounds Hualien's woes, as it continues to recover from recent natural disasters, including a devastating earthquake last year.
As the region grapples with recovery, the pressing question remains how to prevent such tragedies in the future, especially with so many residents still recovering from the impact of past disasters.
