Chen Chin-te Greenlights Expansion of Damaged Vehicle Subsidies for Landslide Lake Disaster to Include Non-Profit Organizations
To expedite reconstruction, Taiwan's Executive Yuan has decided to include non-profit organizations as recipients of financial aid for vehicles damaged in the Mataian River landslide lake disaster. The subsidy provides NT$100,000 for cars and NT$20,000 for motorcycles, aiming to hasten recovery efforts.
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- 📰 Published: May 14, 2026 at 23:56
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Central News Agency, Taipei, 14th - To accelerate the pace of reconstruction, Executive Yuan Minister without Portfolio Chen Chin-te announced today during the "Central Coordination Meeting for Post-Disaster Recovery and Reconstruction of the Mataian River Landslide Lake" that non-profit organizations will be newly included as recipients of relief aid for damaged vehicles. A sum of NT$100,000 will be provided for each car and NT$20,000 for each motorcycle. The policy will be implemented after the Ministry of Transportation and Communications amends the relevant operational guidelines.
The Mataian River landslide lake disaster last year caused damage to many vehicles in Hualien. To alleviate the burden and losses of the victims, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications has been providing relief funds for damaged vehicles to individuals and for-profit businesses, with NT$100,000 per car and NT$20,000 per motorcycle. To date, 3,212 cases have been processed, totaling NT$164.4 million.
The Executive Yuan stated in a press release this evening that Chen Chin-te, during today's coordination meeting, noted that non-profit organizations were previously not included as relief recipients. This meant that non-profit organizations, social welfare groups, and public interest corporations could not apply for relief funds for vehicles damaged in the disaster. He has now requested the Ministry of Transportation and Communications to amend the "Ministry of Transportation and Communications' Operational Guidelines for Damaged Vehicle Scrapping Registration and Relief for Victims of the Mataian River Landslide Lake Disaster" to include damaged vehicles of non-profit organizations. This tangible assistance aims to reduce the losses of disaster victims and speed up the reconstruction of their homes.
Regarding the current status of the landslide lake, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture reported in the meeting that the water storage capacity of the dam has dropped to about 5,000 cubic meters, returning to a river channel state. However, they will continue to monitor changes in the river channel and precipitation. Drones have been used to spread seeds for vegetation to stabilize the upstream landslide area. The first phase, covering 20.1 hectares, has shown positive results, and another 20 hectares will be seeded before the end of June.
For embankment reconstruction, the Water Resources Agency of the Ministry of Economic Affairs mentioned that the restoration of the Guangfu Embankment on the right bank of the Mataian River was completed in April. High-standard embankments and a second embankment will be constructed subsequently. The protective works for the Mingli and Wanrong embankments on the left bank are expected to be completed by the end of May, comprehensively strengthening river defense safety. The cumulative dredging volume in the Mataian and Hualien Rivers has reached 22.1 million cubic meters, fully restoring flood control capacity.
The Highway Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications explained that when water levels and rainfall reach alert values, the early warning bridge closure mechanism for the Mataian River steel truss bridge will be activated. In addition to cameras, water level gauges, and rain stations, the radar echo system has recently been added to expand the monitoring range. The permanent bridge is progressing towards the goal of opening the northbound bridge for two-way traffic by the end of this year.
Regarding the affected agricultural areas, the Ministry of Agriculture stated that the goal for general affected areas is to resume cultivation of 150 hectares by the end of the year. For heavily affected areas where cultivation is difficult, after local briefings and willingness surveys, the government is offering landowners a dual-track program of "land purchase" and "subsidized afforestation." (Editor: Pan Yi-ching) 1150514
The Mataian River landslide lake disaster last year caused damage to many vehicles in Hualien. To alleviate the burden and losses of the victims, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications has been providing relief funds for damaged vehicles to individuals and for-profit businesses, with NT$100,000 per car and NT$20,000 per motorcycle. To date, 3,212 cases have been processed, totaling NT$164.4 million.
The Executive Yuan stated in a press release this evening that Chen Chin-te, during today's coordination meeting, noted that non-profit organizations were previously not included as relief recipients. This meant that non-profit organizations, social welfare groups, and public interest corporations could not apply for relief funds for vehicles damaged in the disaster. He has now requested the Ministry of Transportation and Communications to amend the "Ministry of Transportation and Communications' Operational Guidelines for Damaged Vehicle Scrapping Registration and Relief for Victims of the Mataian River Landslide Lake Disaster" to include damaged vehicles of non-profit organizations. This tangible assistance aims to reduce the losses of disaster victims and speed up the reconstruction of their homes.
Regarding the current status of the landslide lake, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture reported in the meeting that the water storage capacity of the dam has dropped to about 5,000 cubic meters, returning to a river channel state. However, they will continue to monitor changes in the river channel and precipitation. Drones have been used to spread seeds for vegetation to stabilize the upstream landslide area. The first phase, covering 20.1 hectares, has shown positive results, and another 20 hectares will be seeded before the end of June.
For embankment reconstruction, the Water Resources Agency of the Ministry of Economic Affairs mentioned that the restoration of the Guangfu Embankment on the right bank of the Mataian River was completed in April. High-standard embankments and a second embankment will be constructed subsequently. The protective works for the Mingli and Wanrong embankments on the left bank are expected to be completed by the end of May, comprehensively strengthening river defense safety. The cumulative dredging volume in the Mataian and Hualien Rivers has reached 22.1 million cubic meters, fully restoring flood control capacity.
The Highway Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications explained that when water levels and rainfall reach alert values, the early warning bridge closure mechanism for the Mataian River steel truss bridge will be activated. In addition to cameras, water level gauges, and rain stations, the radar echo system has recently been added to expand the monitoring range. The permanent bridge is progressing towards the goal of opening the northbound bridge for two-way traffic by the end of this year.
Regarding the affected agricultural areas, the Ministry of Agriculture stated that the goal for general affected areas is to resume cultivation of 150 hectares by the end of the year. For heavily affected areas where cultivation is difficult, after local briefings and willingness surveys, the government is offering landowners a dual-track program of "land purchase" and "subsidized afforestation." (Editor: Pan Yi-ching) 1150514