Guangfu, Hualien

History

In 2001, Guangfu was hit by Typhoon Toraji. 21 people are killed and about 30 persons are missing in the town of Kuang Fu, in eastern Hualien County, Taiwan. Nantou's mountainous central district and Guangfu were the two most badly affected areas in Taiwan by Toraji. Mudslides and floods swept houses, bridges, and mountain highways clear. The Agriculture Council of Taiwan reported that there could be $4 million in damage to land, livestock, and agricultural districts.

In 2025, the Matai'an Creek Barrier Lake, which formed following a massive landslide caused by Tropical Storm Wipha in July, overflowed due to the increased rainfall caused by Typhoon Ragasa, sweeping away a bridge and several vehicles along Provincial Highway 9 and causing flooding in Guangfu, Fenglin and Wanrong Townships. Several areas were buried in up to 5 m of mud. At least 19 people were killed, 107 were injured, six were missing and 300 were stranded by this event. Authorities said that 60 million tonnes of the lake's total water volume of about 91 million tonnes was discharged, while 60% of Guangfu's population, equivalent to 5,200 people, were forced to seek shelter in the higher floors of their residences. The extent of the disaster led to it being characterised as "a typhoon from the mountains". Around 4,000 people in the area lost access to water supply.

Geography

The township is located at the Huatung Valley.

Administrative divisions

The township has 14 villages with a population of 11,975 inhabitants. Dahua, Daan, Daping, Dama, Datong, Tungfu, Xifu, Nanfu, Beifu, Dajin, Daquan, Daxing, Dafu and Dafeng Village.

Politics

In February 2011, town mayor Huang Rong Chen 黃榮成 was arrested along with two other mayoral election candidates, all three were of Kuomintang (KMT), for election fraud and collusion during the 2010 mayoral election in Guangfu. Huang was alleged to have bribe villagers at NT1000 per vote to vote for him with several villagers confirming receiving the bribe. The 2010 township mayoral election was then declared invalid.

In March, a by-election was held to vote in a new mayor for the vacated seat. Xie Chong Yuan 謝忠淵 of KMT was voted in with 26.25% of the votes.

Transportation

• Taiwan Railway Guangfu and Dafu Station (Taitung line)
• Provincial Highway No.9 (Hualien-Taitung Provincial Highway)
• Provincial Highway No.11A (Guangfu-Fengbin)
• County Road No.193

Notable natives

• Lin Chiung-ying, football and futsal player

References

References

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3. (14 August 2009). "TIMELINE-Major typhoons to hit Taiwan (Reuters)". Reuters.
4. "Timeline – Major typhoons to hit Taiwan".
5. (September 23, 2025). "Hualien township swamped by flooding from lake; vehicles swept away". Focus Taiwan.
6. (September 24, 2025). "EXPLAINER: Matai'an Creek Barrier Lake overflow".
7. (2025-10-09). "Super Typhoon Ragasa death toll climbs to 19 - Taipei Times".
8. (2025-09-29). "Recovered body in Hualien confirmed as missing farm worker - Focus Taiwan".
9. (September 23, 2025). "2 dead, 3 missing after barrier lake overflow in Hualien". Focus Taiwan.
10. (September 24, 2025). "New flood fears spook evacuees after Super Typhoon Ragasa kills 15 in Taiwan". CNA.
11. (September 24, 2025). "Typhoon Ragasa: Typhoon makes landfall in China after 17 killed in Taiwan".
12. (September 25, 2025). "Taiwan lake flood victims spend second night in shelters". France 24.
13. (2011-08-02). "花蓮縣涉嫌賄選 光復鄉長黃榮成遭聲押 - 2011年08月02日 ｜ 公視新聞網 PNN".
14. (13 March 2011). "謝忠淵險勝 當選花蓮光復鄉長".