After the barrier lake along the Matai’an Creek overflowed and mud into Guangfu Township, homes, roads, and farmland were left devastated, forcing residents to evacuate.

In the immediate aftermath, the Red Cross Society of the Republic of China (Taiwan) activated its disaster response mechanism. As of Friday (Sept. 27), it has dispatched 267 sleeping bags, 126 hygiene kits, 500 blankets, and 450 sleeping mats from disaster preparedness centers in Hualien and Taitung. The supplies were delivered in stages to shelters and government-designated warehouses to ensure evacuees’ basic needs are met.

The first shipment departed on Sept. 24 from the Taitung disaster preparedness center, bringing 167 sleeping bags and 60 hygiene kits to Dajin Elementary School, which had been converted into a shelter. That same day, a second consignment from the Hualien disaster preparedness center supplied Guangfu Township Kindergarten (formerly Daquan Elementary School) with 100 sleeping bags, 66 hygiene kits, and 200 blankets.

As shelters multiplied in the days that followed, demand for relief items rose steadily. Many elderly evacuees, though safely housed, reported that the bedding provided was too hard on their backs, while others found the air-conditioned environment difficult to tolerate at night. Responding to these concerns, the Taiwan Red Cross President Wei-ta Pan ordered the immediate dispatch of 300 blankets and 300 thin mats from the Hualien disaster preparedness center, while also arranging for the urgent production of thicker sleeping pads.

On Sept. 26, the third and fourth shipments — consisting of 300 blankets and 300 mats — arrived at the Ruisui distribution center designated by the Hualien County Government, to be further allocated to shelters. On Friday, the fifth batch — 150 thick sleeping pads — was formally received by county social affairs officials at the same center, providing timely relief for evacuees struggling with inadequate rest.

The Taiwan Red Cross expressed gratitude to its volunteers, who have worked around the clock, whether on frontline rescue missions, logistics support, or transporting supplies between warehouses and shelters.

The Taiwan Red Cross pledged to continue monitoring conditions in the disaster zone and to provide assistance tailored to local needs, accompanying Hualien residents step by step on the road to recovery.