根據太魯閣國家公園管理處指出，太魯閣國家公園燕子口步道西段昨天（10/17）發生土石崩塌，堵塞立霧溪河道形成堰塞湖。崩塌範圍約長100公尺、寬40公尺、深25公尺，水位以每小時約70公分速度上升，預估傍晚5、6時將接近步道及公路。從昨天上午起，燕子口步道已經封閉。
太魯閣國家公園管理處已於昨天中午前通報林保署花蓮分署、公路總局太魯閣工務段及秀林鄉公所等單位啟動緊急應變，並通知上、下游居民、沿線遊客、旅宿業者儘快做好撤離的準備。
太魯閣國家公園管理處指出，公路局已於昨天下午1時起啟動交通管制，中橫東段「只出不進」。
太魯閣國家公園管理處呼籲民眾切勿進入封閉區域，並隨時留意太魯閣國家公園與公路局最新公告，以策安全。
（太魯閣國家公園管理處公告英文版如下）
Landslide-Dammed Lake Formed at Swallow Grotto Trail on October 17
Traffic Outbound Only on Eastern Section of the Central Cross-Island Highway; All Agencies on Emergency Response
On the morning of October 17, 2025, construction workers at the western section of the Swallow Grotto (Yanzikou) Trail in Taroko National Park noticed that the Liwu River’s water level was rising. Upon inspection, they discovered that a landslide had blocked the river channel, forming a landslide-dammed lake. The incident was immediately reported to the Taroko National Park Headquarters (Taroko N. P. HQ), which then notified the Hualien Branch of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (FNCA), the Taroko Maintenance Section of the Directorate General of Highways (DGH), and the Xiulin Township Office for emergency response coordination.
Aerial surveys estimated the landslide debris to be approximately 100 meters long, 40 meters wide, and 25 meters high above the water surface. The water level was reported to be rising at a rate of about 70 cm per hour, and it was expected to approach the trail and the highway by around 5–6 p.m.
The Taroko N. P. HQ has already alerted residents upstream and downstream, as well as tourists and nearby accommodation operators, to prepare for evacuation. Additionally, traffic control on the Central Cross-Island Highway (Provincial Highway 😎 began at 1:00 p.m., with outbound traffic only—no entry allowed.
The HQ is clearing access routes along the trail to allow heavy machinery to enter the area for soil excavation and water-level reduction.
The Taroko N. P. HQ stated that the Swallow Grotto Trail has been closed since the April 3, 2024 earthquake (the “0403 Earthquake”) due to damage, and the Liwu River channel in this section is narrow, causing the water level of the landslide-dammed lake to rise rapidly.
If the water continues to rise, it could overflow onto the trail and the Jinheng Tunnel on Provincial Highway 8.
The public is urged not to attempt entry into the area, and all related agencies are continuing to monitor the situation and implement emergency response measures.
