TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A female hiker broke her ankle on the Mianyue Line trail in Chiayi County's Alishan after a fall near a tunnel on Wednesday (Nov. 17), bringing the number of hiking incidents on the trail to three in less than a month, including one death.
The Chiayi County Fire Bureau said in a press release on Wednesday that it received reports at 10:27 a.m. of a 42-year-old female hiker, a member of a hiking group consisting of 30 people, breaking her right ankle after a fall at a landslide site near the No. 2 tunnel, CNA reported.
The fire bureau, Chiayi Forest District Office, and police immediately dispatched rescuers to the scene. They used a railway cart to transport the injured hiker to an ambulance and sent her to the hospital for treatment.
This incident is the second along the trail since a fatal Oct. 25 accident, when a 42-year-old man fell 20 meters to his death from the No. 17 bridge after stepping aside to let oncoming hikers pass. On Nov. 8, a 54-year-old woman suffered injuries after falling off the No. 8 bridge, which is about three stories high.
Earlier this month, the Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office said anti-slip surfaces will be installed on top of planks on the railway bridges to increase safety. The office also urged hikers to follow the one-way rule and avoid crossing paths on the bridges.
The Mianyue Line, which ceased operations as a railway after the 921 Earthquake in 1999, is known for its numerous elevated bridges and stunning primeval landscapes. Previously known only among hiking enthusiasts, the trail has become popular after significant media exposure.
(Forestry Bureau photos)