TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Authorities have closed Guishan Island (龜山島) in Yilan for restoration work following the devastation caused by Typhoon Kong-rey (颱風康芮) on Tuesday (Nov. 5). According to Mirror Media, officials from the Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area (東北角及宜蘭海岸國家風景區管理處) announced the closure on Tuesday with plans to reopen the island in March.
Typhoon Kong-rey inflicted the most severe damage since the island opened to visitors in 2000. Floodwaters submerged the Putuo Temple (普陀巖廟宇) and displaced wave-dissipating blocks onto the shore. The temple's chairman reported that water reached 2 meters, causing statues to float and necessitating reconstruction.
The storm also closed two temporary docks with silt and destroyed the southern coastal defense gabions (a cage filled with rocks, concrete, or sometimes sand). Wu Chien-chih (吳建志), deputy director of the Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area, confirmed that the island had been preemptively closed since Oct. 30, with recovery efforts underway. Wu stated that power has been restored and floodwaters have receded.
As restoration progresses, authorities remain committed to ensuring the island's safe reopening. Visitors and locals alike await the return of Guishan Island's natural and cultural attractions, hoping the repairs will restore its former glory.
