TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Forestry Bureau issued a warning on Wednesday that urged the public to stay clear of Liwu River downstream of the Swallow Grotto barrier lake as it overflows.

Hualien County Government also issued an alert and confirmed an expanding blockage in the Liwu River caused by falling rocks, per CNA. The overflow has further eroded the barrier dam, which may collapse and cause rising water levels downstream.

The bureau's Hualien branch reported the dam is eroding and rising water volumes are accelerating the water level increase downstream. Videos showed large amounts of turbid water flowing downstream around noon.

Construction contractor Huang Kuo-pao (黃國寶) told CNA that after entering the site a few days ago, his crew began with the first phase of road and river channel preparation, followed by a 2-meter excavation. On Tuesday, they continued lowering the dam structure, but when they reached a downstream section of the river, the water volume increased threefold, causing the dam's fill material to collapse rapidly.

Huang added that after assessing the situation on Wednesday, workers decided to divert the water path slightly before continuing the excavation. However, several large rocks fell from the upper rock layer in the morning, prompting the temporary relocation of heavy machinery to a safer area while other equipment and personnel were evacuated.