Four questioned over Mataian flood evacuationsBy Wang Chin-yi and Sam Garcia / Staff reporter, with staff writerHualien County prosecutors today questioned four people and searched the Guangfu Township (光復) office and home of its mayor over alleged negligence in evacuation duties during last year’s Mataian River (馬太鞍溪) flood that left 19 dead and five missing. The Hualien District Prosecutors’ Office directed the search at 7am, reviewing evacuation lists and disaster alerts to clarify whether the township office failed to fulfill its responsibilities. After the search at about 10am, Guangfu Township Mayor Lin Ching-shui (林清水), secretary Chang Yuan-pao (張源寶) and other township office staff were taken in for further questioning. Preliminary investigations suggest that evacuations were insufficient, and many residents afterward questioned why they did not receive evacuation notices. The Hualien District Prosecutors’ Office said the investigation to determine whether there was any negligence among government authorities is ongoing.
