Smart Taiwan man trapped in gorge for 10 days, alerts locals by blocking pipe to disrupt water supply, affect rescue

A resourceful hiker in Taiwan has survived 10 days trapped in a ravine, despite being injured, hungry and without a mobile phone.

The 54-year-old, surnamed Zhuang, fell about 10 meters into a gorge on April 12, during a solo hike on Phoenix Mountain in the southern suburbs of Fengcheng City, Dandong.

He injured his right leg and was unable to walk.

Without a phone, he could not even call for help from the isolated location.

But Zhuang did not give up hope. He used his initiative to try and find a way out.

Observing his surroundings, he spotted a pipe supplying water to nearby residents, and a plant known as giant taro, which has thick, sturdy stems and large leaves.

The former plumber had an idea. He cut the water pipe with his Swiss Army knife and blocked it with the taro stem, disrupting the water supply.

Ten days after Zhuang’s fall, villagers realized there was a fault with the water pipe and, while investigating it, they discovered the stranded hiker.

A rescue team from the local fire department took Zhuang down the mountain.

He was conscious with stable vital signs at the time and received treatment for injuries to his right leg and left hip at hospital.

“Awesome. That self-rescue method was incredible. If it were me, I’d just keep drinking water every day. No-one would come to rescue me,” one online observer said.

“Heaven, or fate, always leaves a door open. Those who survive great disasters are destined for future blessings,” wrote another.

“This is really smart, really clever,” a third person said.

Hikers are strongly advised not to hike alone, to always carry communication devices with good signal quality, and to equip themselves with headlamps, warm clothing and rain gear for survival, the fire department said.

Hikers encountering difficulties often make the headlines.

In 2022, a man in Sichuan province, southwestern China was stranded in the mountains for 17 days following an earthquake. He survived by drinking moss water and eating wild kiwi fruit, skills he learned from Bear Grylls’ Man vs. Wild survival television show.

In 2018, a Korean woman survived for six days in the Australian wilderness after falling from a steep cliff. She kept warm and dry in her raincoat and eventually managed to signal to a search helicopter.