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Taiwan mudslide death toll rises Taiwan mudslide death toll rises
(40 minutes later)
More than 390 people are believed to have been buried alive in the village worst affected by a massive mudslide caused by Typhoon Morakot. More than 390 people are believed to have been buried alive in the Taiwanese village worst affected by a massive mudslide Taiwan caused by a typhoon.
This is the first time the government has released a firm estimate on the number of people they believe might have been killed in Hsiaolin village. It is the first time the government has released a firm estimate of the number of people they believe might have been killed in Hsiaolin village.
Thousands of people are still stranded by the worst mudslides and floods.Thousands of people are still stranded by the worst mudslides and floods.
The typhoon caused Taiwan's worst flooding in 50 years and has resulted in 117 confirmed deaths so far. Last weekend's typhoon caused Taiwan's worst flooding for 50 years, resulting in 117 confirmed deaths so far.
The floods have washed out roads, snapped bridges and sent low-rise buildings crashing into rivers. class="" href="/2/hi/asia-pacific/8199213.stm">In pictures: Taiwan misery class="" href="/2/hi/asia-pacific/8200821.stm">'Devil' typhoon's impact
class="" href="/2/hi/asia-pacific/8199213.stm">In pictures: Taiwan misery class="" href="/2/hi/asia-pacific/8196314.stm">'Washed away by the typhoon' The floods have washed out roads, swept away bridges and sent low-rise buildings crashing into rivers, leaving many mountain villages accessible only by air.
Hundreds of survivors have been airlifted from Hsiaolin village, which was hit by a massive mudslide that covered all but two houses, and thousands more from other settlements in central and southern Taiwan.Hundreds of survivors have been airlifted from Hsiaolin village, which was hit by a massive mudslide that covered all but two houses, and thousands more from other settlements in central and southern Taiwan.
But Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou is quoted by Reuters news agency as saying he expects the death toll to climb to more than 500 people. But Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou has said he expects the number killed to climb to more than 500 people.
Hundreds had been feared dead, but the government had not previously given an estimated overall death toll.
Taiwan's government said it had received offers of help from the international community, including the European Union and the US. class="bodl" href="#map">See map of affected area Help on way?
But it stressed the need for very specific technical assistance - namely large cargo helicopters that can carry at least 22 tons of earth movers or other equipment. Taiwan's government says it has received offers of help from the international community, including the European Union and the US. class="bodl" href="#map">See map of affected area
The Taiwanese authorities want to use the giant aircraft to drop large earth diggers and other machinery into remote mountain areas to help re-open roads. But it has stressed the need for very specific technical assistance - namely giant cargo helicopters that can carry large earth diggers and other machinery into remote mountain areas to help re-open roads.
TYPHOON MORAKOT Deluged Taiwan with at least two metres (80in) of rain over the weekendCaused the country's worst flooding in 50 yearsSome 108 people confirmed dead, hundreds unaccounted forSome 14,000 people airlifted out of affected areas class="" href="/2/hi/asia-pacific/8192842.stm">Eyewitness: Pacific storms The government has also requested prefabricated buildings to help house those left homeless by the flooding and supplies of disinfectant, to try to prevent the spread of disease.
Relatives of those stranded and of the hundreds feared dead have urged the government to speed up rescue efforts. TYPHOON MORAKOT Deluged Taiwan with at least two metres (80in) of rain over the weekendCaused the country's worst flooding in 50 yearsSome 117 people confirmed dead, another 500 believed killedMore than 14,000 people airlifted out of affected areas class="" href="/2/hi/asia-pacific/8192842.stm">Eyewitness: Pacific storms
Many have been waiting for days at the rescue operation centre in Qishan for news of family members missing since the typhoon struck over the weekend.
Visiting the area earlier this week, President Ma assured anxious relatives that no effort would be spared to find their loved ones, as anger began to rise over the government response.Visiting the area earlier this week, President Ma assured anxious relatives that no effort would be spared to find their loved ones, as anger began to rise over the government response.
Nearly 14,000 people have been evacuated by air from the worst-affected areas. Military helicopters have been dropping provisions for others, but continuing rain has hampered their work. The families of those stranded and of the hundreds feared dead have urged the government to speed up rescue efforts.
The BBC's Alastair Leithead, at the Qishan rescue base, says thousands of extra Taiwanese troops are trying to push out into remote areas on foot as well as by helicopter. Many have been waiting for days at the rescue operation centre in Qishan for news of relatives missing since the typhoon struck over the weekend.
Typhoon Morakot, which lashed Taiwan with at least 200cm (80in) of rain over the weekend, has caused at least $225m (£135m) in agricultural damage and left tens of thousands of homes without power and water. Critics say the authorities were too slow to realise the magnitude of the disaster. Some of those stranded say they have received no help for days and are short of food and water.
More than 14,000 people have been evacuated by air from the worst-affected areas. Others have been carried to safety over ravines where bridges have collapsed by soldiers using cables and makeshift ziplines.
Military helicopters have been dropping provisions for those still stranded, but poor weather has hampered their work. Soldiers have also been trying to reach remote settlements on foot.
The flooding has destroyed 34 bridges and severed 253 sections of road in Taiwan, Reuters news agency quotes the transportation ministry as saying, with repairs likely to take up to three years in the worst-affected areas.
Officials in the island's south-eastern Taitung county estimated that nearly 3,700 people remained cut off as of Friday morning, the AFP news agency reports, while in central Chiayi county some 9,000 were thought to be stranded.
Some 2,000 people are still to be evacuated in Kaohsiung county, the area worst hit and where the rescue operations in Hsaiolin and other villages have been focused, AFP quotes a county magistrate as saying.
Many of the affected villages are inhabited by aborigines, who farm the mountainous terrain.
Typhoon Morakot, which lashed Taiwan with at least 200cm (80in) of rain last weekend, has caused at least $910m (£550m) in damages to agriculture and infrastructure, Reuters reports.
Reconstruction is expected to cost some $3.65bn (£2.2bn).
TAIWAN'S WORST-AFFECTED AREAS Qishan - rescue operation centre established here, thousands of troops drafted in to help.Liukuei - 200 people awaiting rescue from hot spring resort, with another 700 survivors in the area.Hsinfa - 32 people reported dead, survivors pulled to safety using ropes thrown across river.Hsiaolin - hundreds feared dead following mudslides the morning after Taiwan's Father's Day.Taoyuan - residents told to run to higher ground as embankment holding back lake gave way.TAIWAN'S WORST-AFFECTED AREAS Qishan - rescue operation centre established here, thousands of troops drafted in to help.Liukuei - 200 people awaiting rescue from hot spring resort, with another 700 survivors in the area.Hsinfa - 32 people reported dead, survivors pulled to safety using ropes thrown across river.Hsiaolin - hundreds feared dead following mudslides the morning after Taiwan's Father's Day.Taoyuan - residents told to run to higher ground as embankment holding back lake gave way.
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