Hualien: A lead rescuer in the flood rescues in eastern Taiwan’s Hualien County has recounted to CNA how his team saved a 6-year-old girl trapped inside a house for over a day after a lake created by a landslide overflowed and flooded the town, crediting her survival to the sacrifice of her aunt and uncle in their final moments.
According to Focus Taiwan, Chen Shih-hung, commander of the Special Search and Rescue Team under the Pingtung County Fire Bureau, detailed how his team was able to rescue the girl, nicknamed “Little Yi.” The floodwaters had nearly submerged her house in Guangfu Township, one of the hardest-hit areas after Typhoon Ragasa caused the lake on Matai’an Creek to overflow.
The rescue effort began Tuesday evening when Chen’s team arrived to search for three missing individuals in the inundated house. Despite the challenging conditions and the low survival chances, a six-member sub-team braved the floodwaters, only to find no signs of life in their initial attempt. It was believed that the sound of the floodwaters may have masked Little Yi’s calls for help.
The family’s persistent pleas prompted Chen to send his full 23-member team back for a second search on Wednesday. Utilizing a drone to map a route, they were able to locate a part of the roof that was stable enough to stand on. As they cut open the roof, they heard Little Yi’s cries for help, leading to her successful rescue.
The courageous sacrifice of Little Yi’s honorary aunt and uncle, who were not biologically related to her, played a crucial role in her survival. The family recounted how the uncle had lifted Little Yi to her aunt, who then placed her onto a roof beam, forming a human ladder to save her from the rising floodwaters. Both adults were later found deceased, buried in mud.
Chen expressed his deep admiration for Little Yi’s bravery and her family’s insistence on further search efforts. He also credited the aunt and uncle’s selflessness and his team’s determination for the rescue’s success. The team’s use of advanced rescue techniques, including the employment of drones, was instrumental in their operation.
This incident is not Chen’s first experience with disaster rescue. Earlier in 2023, he led his team in a successful mission in Trkiye following a magnitude-7.8 earthquake, which earned them an award for their humanitarian aid efforts. The team continues to enhance its capabilities and is set to participate in technical exchanges in Singapore.
As the search-and-rescue phase concludes with the 72-hour “golden window,” the focus shifts to recovering bodies buried in the mud. The death toll from the Hualien floods has reached 15, with seven people still missing.
For Little Yi, the quick thinking and heroic actions of her aunt and uncle ensured her survival against the odds.
