Increased Hiking Risks Due to Weather Front; Shei-Pa National Park Headquarters Urges Hikers to Carefully Self-Assess

(Central News Agency, reporter Guan Ruiping, Miaoli County, 9th) Due to the influence of a stationary front, rainfall has been significant across various regions recently, with mountainous areas being more prone to localized heavy rain or torrential rain. The Shei-Pa National Park Headquarters stated that the risk of hiking activities has significantly increased from today until the 14th, urging hikers to carefully assess their itineraries and consider canceling park entry if weather conditions are poor.

The Shei-Pa Headquarters issued a press release today noting that continuous rainfall or short-duration heavy rain in high mountain areas can easily lead to slippery trails, rapid rises in creek water levels, slope collapses, rockfalls, and poor visibility. If clothing or equipment gets wet, it may lead to hypothermia due to low temperatures, strong winds, and decreased physical strength.

The Shei-Pa Headquarters stated that due to the influence of a low-pressure system, a stationary front, and warm, humid southwest winds, the probability of rainfall in mountainous areas is high from June 8 to 14. This may be accompanied by severe weather such as short-duration heavy rain, lightning strikes, and strong gusts, significantly increasing the risk of hiking activities.

The Shei-Pa Headquarters reminded hikers that some hiking routes within the Shei-Pa park are located on forest roads, cliffs, and broken terrain, posing higher risks after heavy rain. Sections prone to collapses and rockfalls include the entire eastern section of the Dalu Forest Road on the Daba Line, the section from the Sijielan Suspension Bridge to the 3.1K trailhead on the Zhijiayang Line, the section from Renshou Bridge to Leshan Bridge on the Songmao Forest Road of the Xuejian Line, the entire 230 Forest Road on the Xue-Shan West Ridge Line, the base of Daba Mountain, various cliff terrains within the park, and other potential areas not yet immediately identified. Hikers must pay special attention.

The Shei-Pa Headquarters said that during this period of frontal influence, teams that have already obtained entry permits should reconfirm information such as weather forecasts, heavy rain advisories, work and school suspension announcements from local governments, road traffic controls, and the latest announcements from the Shei-Pa Headquarters before departure. They should implement thorough self-risk assessments. If the itinerary involves multi-day traverses, high ridges, creek crossings, forest road sections, or terrain prone to collapse, it is recommended to voluntarily cancel or postpone the entry. If already in the mountains and encountering increased rain intensity, thunderstorms, fog, rising creek water, sounds of rockfalls, trail collapses, or signs of hypothermia in team members, they should immediately stop advancing and retreat to a safe location as early as possible.

The Shei-Pa Headquarters emphasized that during the influence of the Meiyu front, risks in mountainous areas can escalate rapidly in a short time, and rescue operations may also be hindered by heavy rain, dense fog, rockfalls, and road closures. They urged hikers to prioritize safety, prepare rain gear, warm clothing, offline maps, power banks, and emergency communication equipment before departure, and ensure they inform a designated contact person of their itinerary and retreat conditions. (Editor: Zhang Mingkun) 1150609