TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital (花蓮慈濟醫院) treated 207 patients in its first 24 hours of emergency medical operations in typhoon-affected Guangfu Township. The hospital deployed medical teams Thursday (Sept. 25) after typhoon damage severed road access between Hualien City and Guangfu Township, a rural area in eastern Taiwan. Medical personnel established a temporary treatment facility at Guangfu Station, the area's primary transportation hub.
Hospital Superintendent Lin, Shinn-zong (林欣榮) extended the mission through Saturday (Oct. 5) and authorized a second temporary medical facility at Guangfu Station (光復車站). Dr. Hsu Wen-lin's (許文林) team established the additional treatment area Friday morning (Sept. 26) after completing shift transitions at the primary medical station. Medical personnel treated multiple cases of heatstroke and low blood pressure linked to elevated temperatures in the disaster zone.
The hospital mobilized 53 medical personnel across Thursday and Friday (Sept. 25-26) to maintain continuous 24-hour operations at the Hualien Sugar Factory medical station for ten days. Medical teams switched to rail transportation for night shifts Friday (Sept. 26) and prepared 1,000 trauma medical supplies anticipating increased weekend staffing demands. Hospital administrators praised staff coordination in establishing the emergency medical response to the typhoon's aftermath. ◼
