Typhoon Fung-wong brought torrential rain and powerful winds to eastern Taiwan on November 11, triggering widespread flooding and landslides across Yilan County. Tzu Chi volunteers quickly mobilized, providing essential supplies, warm meals, and hands-on support to help residents begin the difficult road to recovery.
Immediate Aid and Sustenance
The typhoon’s outer bands caused severe damage, forcing evacuations and leading to power outages throughout Yilan. In response, Tzu Chi volunteers immediately set up a disaster response center and delivered more than 70 Jing Si multi-purpose foldable beds to local shelters.
With many residents unable to cook, volunteers launched a large-scale hot meal service on November 12. On the first day alone, they prepared 200 breakfasts and 2,000 lunchboxes, followed by additional dinner services from Tzu Chi's Luodong Jing Si Hall and the Su’ao Recycling Station. A service desk was also established at the Su’ao Township Office for residents to register for assistance.
Hung-Tai Wu (吳宏泰), convener of the Tzu Chi Yilan Disaster Response Center, described the proactive preparations:
We had been monitoring Typhoon Fung-wong for three days and noticed its path resembled Typhoon Megi years ago, so we started preparing early. Even though initial requests were for only a few hundred meals, we prepared 2,000 because we anticipated greater need. By noon on November 12, many had already been distributed.
Community Spirit in Action
Relief teams surveyed five routes across severely affected neighborhoods, including Zhongshan Road, Zhongyuan Road, Su-Nan Road, and Nanfang’ao.
On November 13, volunteers continued distributing warm lunchboxes to residents working tirelessly to clean their homes in the rain. Many expressed heartfelt gratitude:
“Wow, it’s hot!”
“Thank you, it’s delicious—this is the best!”
In a moving moment of mutual support, a vegetarian restaurant in the disaster zone—run by a Tzu Chi member—lost power and was unable to operate. After receiving a hot meal from volunteers, the owner, Ms. Se-Hsiang Chen (陳色香), immediately offered her fresh frozen ingredients to aid the relief effort. “She knew we were preparing hot meals and quickly brought us ingredients,” a volunteer recalled.
Beyond providing meals, volunteers offered crucial manpower. A specialized Tzu Chi repair team from northern Taiwan, who had been assisting with repairs in Hualien, redirected their efforts to Yilan. Equipped with high-pressure washers, submersible pumps, and scrapers, they arrived in Su’ao on November 13 to assist with home cleanup.
Mr. Liao, whose basement had been fully submerged, expressed immense relief:
I am very grateful to the Tzu Chi volunteers for helping me at such a critical moment. Thank you so much—without them, I don’t know how long it would have taken to clean everything.
Ching-Sung Chiang (江清松), a Yilan volunteer, emphasized:
We respond to every disaster—especially when it affects our fellow Yilan residents.
On November 13, Tzu Chi volunteers helped residents in Su’ao Township clean up their homes and surroundings after the disaster. | Photo: Tzu Chi Foundation
Continued Support and Recovery
Ongoing relief efforts also drew attention from local officials. Acting Yilan County Magistrate Mao-Sheng Lin (林茂盛) visited the Su’ao Township Office on November 13 to discuss reconstruction and thank Tzu Chi volunteers.
Tzu Chi Foundation CEO Po-Wen Yen (顏博文), who visited the hardest-hit areas the same day, observed that public spaces and streets had already been cleared by the military and local authorities. “Today, we will work with the Yilan volunteer team to assess the needs of affected families and plan the next steps,” he said. He also thanked the volunteers preparing hot meals, noting that residents praised them as both delicious and healthy.
As of November 16, Tzu Chi’s relief efforts in Yilan included:
- Hot meals served: 6,420 meals
- Volunteer mobilizations: 877 shifts
- Homes Cleaned: 25 homes
Tzu Chi will continue supporting affected families through home visits and by providing emergency cash assistance and care packages to 1,020 severely impacted households in Su’ao Township, with further distributions planned throughout Yilan.
These sustained efforts highlight Tzu Chi’s commitment to walking alongside communities—not just in the immediate aftermath of disaster, but throughout their journey to full recovery.
Written by Yi-Chien Chen (陳誼謙)
