TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A video of a waterfall in Chiayi county has caused a stir online after netizens spotted an apparition of a “backpacker” emerging from beneath the gushing torrents.
A photographer, surnamed Hou (侯), went on a scenic walk through the Guanyin Waterfall area on Saturday (Aug. 14) with the intention of capturing the majestic beauty of the rapids at full force after the recent downpour of rain, according to a Liberty Times report.
When she went through her footage at home on Tuesday though, she found what she described looked like a "backpacker" staring back at her through the water rapids. Considering it is now Ghost Month in Taiwan, the image sent a chill down Hou’s spine and she broke into a sweat, according to the report.
Guanyin Waterfall Scenic Area was once a well-known scenic spot for dating and family outings alike, being only 30 minutes drive from Chiayi City. However, after the 9/21 earthquake caused damage to the wall of the waterfall, it was temporarily closed to the public for safety reasons. The area was closed once again in 2009 due to damage sustained from Typhoon Morakot.
When Hou heard roads to the area had been repaired, she visited the area on Saturday (Aug. 14). It was after she parked her car next to Renguan Bridge No. 1 that she took the footage that would later give people goosebumps.
Hou said that the Guanyin Waterfall often dries up if there has not been adequate rainfall. The gushing whitewater that day provided a stark backdrop that made the phantom backpacker all the more prominent. To see such a sight during Ghost Month really is quite unnerving, she said.
Some netizens said that they would not have noticed it from a distance, but the magnification of the photo makes the apparition frighteningly realistic.
