Taiwan typhoon toll could reach 500 dead
By Ben YEH (AFP) - 2 hours ago
CHISHAN - The death toll from Typhoon Morakot, which caused the worst floods in 50 years in Taiwan, could reach 500, Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou said on Friday, after the announcement that 300 people were probably killed in landslides .
"With a confirmed death toll of 117 and some 380 people who were likely killed in mudslides in the southern village of Hsiaolin, the typhoon toll in Taiwan could exceed 500 dead," Ma said at the meeting. 'a national security meeting.
After the passage last weekend of Typhoon Morakot, the deadliest on the island since 1959, relief continued on Friday to help 15.000 people isolated in mountain villages where roads and bridges were destroyed.
Some 40.000 soldiers deployed in the country were still trying on Friday to reach the victims in the center and south of the island, crossing rivers swelled by bad weather.
On Thursday, President Ma Ying-jeou, criticized for his handling of the disaster, was taken to task when he went to Yunlin County to find relief on the spot.
"The government will overcome all obstacles to accomplish its mission," the president promised Friday.
In Meilang, Kaohsiung County, two desperate men on Friday waved a banner asking, "Government, help the people of Meilang and Changhsan," with every helicopter passing by.
One of the two men, Mr. Hsieh, said he quit his job to help 270 residents of his home village who have been missing for a week.
"The mountain is moving, it will collapse," he warned, wondering why rescue teams neglected his village.
In this county, in addition to the 300 people probably died in the mudslides in Hsiaoling, the help continued the evacuation by helicopter of nearly 2.000 villagers, cut off from the rest of the world.
In the county of Taitung (south-east), the authorities estimate at 3.700 the number of inhabitants still isolated. At the same time, relief operations continue in the center of the island, in Chiayi County, where 9.000 people are without assistance.
Rescue teams risked their lives crossing swollen rivers to bring food to remote villages.
To reach the village of Hsinfa, a site popular for its hot springs where mudslides killed residents, rescuers had to walk 18 km, winding between destroyed roads and passing through three half-blocked tunnels. However, they could not reach the village, due to a collapsed bridge.
"The mission is not easy. But we have to get there as soon as possible, because 300 people, isolated by the mudslide, are in urgent need of assistance," said Liang Tien-tsai, former village chief. .
The Taiwanese government has pledged to release 70 billion Taiwan dollars (US $ 2,18 billion) in aid to repair typhoon damage, estimated at several hundred million dollars in agriculture, the tourism industry and telecommunications.
Friday evening, a telethon is scheduled on Taiwanese television to raise funds.
Taiwanese charities and businesses have already provided 4 billion Taiwan dollars (125 million USD) in aid, according to the press.
In August 1959, a typhoon had devastated Taiwan killing 667 people and some 1.000 missing.
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