According to online reports, AI-synthesized mudslides at the Kaohsiung Photovoltaic Field are approaching residential buildings. The Ministry of Economic Affairs refutes this and announces the actual scene.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs provided actual photos of shallow slides caused by heavy rains in August. (Provided by the Ministry of Economic Affairs)

[Reporter Lin Jinghua/Reporting from Taipei] Internet communities used AI to synthesize disaster pictures, exaggerating the scene of "mudslides approaching residential houses" in Kaohsiung's tall trees and Shanguang Electric Power Plant. The Ministry of Economic Affairs released photos of the actual scene today (5th) and refuted the synthetic pictures circulated on the Internet, which have seriously misled the public and created social panic.

Online communities circulated that AI-generated images of mudslides approaching homes were fake. (Provided by the Ministry of Economic Affairs)

The Ministry of Economic Affairs stated that due to the heavy rains in Kaohsiung in August, part of the slope slipped at the site. It has worked closely with the Kaohsiung City Government to implement strict supervision, and gave the operator a deadline to complete the soil and water conservation restoration of the collapsed area before the end of November. The Energy Administration explained that the first phase of the site The installation has been completed, and all modules that exceeded the original approved scope were dismantled on August 25, 2014. Due to violations of the second phase of the project, the Kaohsiung City Government has already canceled the soil and water conservation plan, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs has simultaneously revoked the construction permit. There is no cover-up as reported by the outside world.

Regarding the safety of the crime scene, the Kaohsiung City Water Conservancy Bureau continued to monitor and control the heavy rainfall during this summer. Among them, in August, Kaohsiung received heavy rains of up to 1,712 mm for 18 consecutive days, which caused shallow sliding on local slopes. The Kaohsiung City Water Conservancy Bureau conducted an investigation on September 9. After the investigation, the company proactively grasped the sliding situation and immediately ordered the operator to complete improvements before November 30. In order to ensure the safety of the slope, it is recommended that the operator use ecological construction methods in the sliding area. Gabions should be installed at the toe of the slope to stabilize it, and vegetation netting should be laid on the slope to cover the exposed topsoil to prevent water and soil erosion.

In addition to strengthening on-site inspections, multiple monitors were also installed on site to connect with the local mayor's office for joint real-time supervision by local governments to minimize the risk of disasters. Regarding the 20 photovoltaic modules that were damaged due to sliding earth and rocks, the Energy Administration of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Kaohsiung City Government supervisory and management operators processed them in accordance with the recycling mechanism regulations of the Ministry of Environment.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs reiterated that as can be seen in the photos, there was no "landslide" and that using fake photos to cause panic will not help speed up the recovery of the crime scene. The Ministry of Economic Affairs continues to work closely with the Kaohsiung City Government, keeping a close eye on the construction progress of the operator throughout the process, and must urge them to complete the soil and water conservation restoration project as scheduled and with high quality before November 30, to thoroughly ensure the stability of the slope and the safety of surrounding residents.