Hualien: A pesticide leak has been detected in flood-hit Guangfu Township in Hualien County, eastern Taiwan, after a resident sought medical treatment Sunday. The resident was treated at an emergency station in the town and showed no serious symptoms, according to Yen Hsu-ming, director-general of the Ministry of Environment's Environmental Management Administration.

According to Focus Taiwan, the leak was caused by a rupture in a pesticide storage facility in the township's Zhongxue Street. The area has been sealed off and cleaning operations are proceeding smoothly, Yen told the press. The pesticide has been initially assessed as an organophosphate, commonly used for crops, and will naturally decompose with exposure to sunlight, he said.

After the contaminated mud is collected by sludge trucks, it will be placed in a fenced zone, said Yen. Pesticide concentration in the town will greatly decrease after the mud is collected and the streets are cleaned, with monitoring set to continue, he added.

An overflow of the Matai'an Creek barrier lake on Sept. 23, caused by heavy rain brought by Typhoon Ragasa, led to severe flooding that resulted in 18 fatalities in the town as of Sunday and left behind large amounts of debris and mud.