Man left stranded on rock while river tubing in Hualien

Man left stranded on rock while river tubing in Hualien

2025-08-04

And despite the rainy weather, some people are still going on dangerous riverside adventures. They include a group of four that decided to go river tubing in Hualien on Sunday. The plan was to get on inflatable rings and let themselves float down the Xiugulan River. But the surging water left one of them stranded in a sandbar in the middle of the river. The man, who is 29 years old, was fortunately able to climb on a big rock and call for help. Let’s hear more.

Kao Tzu-hsiang
Hualien Fire Department
We immediately mobilized teams in Fengbin, Ruisui, Guangfu and Shoufeng, as well as the Coast Guard and the Airborne Service Corps. The man was rescued by our fire crew on a rubber dinghy. He was taken to shore without issue.

Voice of rafting operator
(Not involved in incident)
Even at normal flow, this section would be considered medium to high water. The flotation device they used is completely different from what we use. Our groups are always accompanied by a lifeguard. If you want go rafting, you need a lifeguard, regardless of whether you are doing it by yourself or with a company.

River tubing and rafting are popular activities at the river. Participants are required to wear life jackets and to be supervised by lifeguards. Water activities are heavily regulated, and permission must be requested in advance. Authorities believe that the group involved in Sunday’s incident entered the river without permission. The heavy rains and strong southwesterlies caused the water to surge, and the fun outing almost ended in tragedy.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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#rafting #rivertubing #river #floatie #summer #hualien #taiwan #adventuresports #watersports

相約玩漂漂河遇溪水暴漲消防隊乘橡皮艇救人

2025-08-04

週日（3日）下午，一名29歲吳姓男子，與友人一行4人，到花蓮秀姑巒溪玩漂漂河，利用大型泳圈順流漂浮河面。快到長虹橋附近時，遇到暴漲的溪水，他被急流沖到沙洲，爬上大石，還好他有帶手機，緊急報警。

[[花蓮消防二大副大隊長高子翔]]
“本局立即出動豐濱、瑞穗、光復、壽豐，並且協同海巡以及空勤，一同前往救援，最終由消防分隊橡皮艇成功救援男子，送上岸後，人員無大礙。”

[[聲音來源: 其他泛舟業者]]
“在以平常的水位來講，它算是屬於水位中等以上，算是大水位。他們所用的那個舟艇跟我們這個完全不一樣，我們有救生員在旁邊護航，不論你是民間下來，還是營業行為，你還是都要有救生員的。

漂漂河是花蓮秀姑巒溪，常見的水上活動，參加民眾不僅會穿救生衣，也會有救生員一路護航。但秀姑巒溪是管制河川，事前得先申請；這四人疑似自行下水，加上最近西南風增強，溪水暴漲，差點釀成憾事，幸好男子順利獲救沒有大礙。

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The little kids in our village have not had any formula milk for the good part of the day now, so we had to make do with what we have and ask people for help.

The mountains have endured heavy rain for more than a week now, and the vital transportation link of Taoyuan District, the Southern Cross-Island Highway is partially blocked off. As a result, many villages in the mountains, including Viviu, Lavulan and Masuhuaz have become isolated.

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Therefore, I’ve instructed the Agriculture Bureau to coordinate all the farmers’ associations in the area, and prioritize giving these branches an additional 500kg of pork and fresh fruits and vegetables.

A city councilor for the local constituency captured this image showing how all food products on supermarket shelves were snapped up. Meanwhile, there’s also no more cash in ATM machines. After word has gotten out about the locals’ desperate situation, many lawmakers have given help, and even the chair of a supermarket chain has gotten behind the wheel himself to get supplies into the villages.

For now, the residents of these affected villages are starting to get the things they need, but still, their greatest hope is to be able to return to normalcy the soonest possible.

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A head of tight curls and large eyes: this giant figure is “Ayla,” an elementary schoolkid from the future. She’s showed up at the square in front of Osaka City Central Public Hall in Japan.

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When designing this work initially, we wanted it to be enjoyable for people of all ages. I hope that both children and adults alike can enter Ayla’s world with innocence and without prejudice.

The Ars Association performing arts group created this 4.2m-tall puppet moved by a performer on stilts. The inspiration came from a temple procession from one of the member’s childhood.

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I often saw temple processions as a kid. They’re usually at a height just level to the balcony on the second floor. It’s around that height, but I wanted to go a little higher. Before Ayla was shipped over here, we prayed to Matsu to bless her journey.

Ars Association is one of the artists and groups showcased at Expo 2025 Osaka with the Ministry of Culture. This is also Ayla’s international debut.

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This library is Japanese master architect Tadao Ando’s gift to his hometown. Now, a themed exhibition with illustrated books from Taiwan is also here.

As many as 50 illustrated books from Taiwan centered on seven themes, including daily life, Indigenous culture and folktales, have made their way to Tadao Ando’s Children’s Book Forest.

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Amidst the clamor of firecrackers and drums, Chiayi Hsingkang Junior High graduate Tung Yen-chun helps her mother serve customers. This has been her life for over 10 years.

Acting as her mother’s assistant, she helps pack orders and run the register. When not busy, she sits behind the counter and concentrates on her studies. Nothing could disturb her.

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Tung is one of only five students from Chiayi to win this year’s Presidential Education Award. When she was young, she developed the rare condition purpura. Despite this, she continued studying hard and fell in love with drawing. She even won first prize in a children’s drawing competition in Japan.

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Store clerk’s friend (voice altered)
I was shocked. We knew he would be selective, but never thought he would use this kind of abnormal tactic to find what he wanted. I asked the police, and they said they’ve never heard of it before. They also said he didn’t do anything illegal. If there were any resistance and he still insisted on buying, he could have refused to sell to him.

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Raffles are conducted as a lucky draw by customers for prizes. If a customer uses an improper method to affect the results and traps the merchant into handing over a prize by mistake, then it might be illegal under Article 339 of the Criminal Code. Under civil law, there’s also Article 184 of the Civil Code, under which a perpetrator must pay damages to a merchant for damaging their rights.

Each ticket in the drawing is NT$350. For the man to spend NT$700 on two tickets and win the grand prize with both raised the clerks’ suspicions. They posted to the store’s internal communications system, finding that 10 stores in Changhua were affected. But now that his methods are known, other stores are on high alert.

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