Taiwan: Death toll up as typhoons lash parts of Asia
From: Psalm 110 (UPI_Moonie_Wire_Service_at_Washington_Times.info)
Date: 08/27/04
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Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2004 09:26:35 GMT
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/topstories/story/0,4386,269365,00.html
Death toll up as typhoons lash parts of Asia
TAIPEI - Rescuers in northern Taiwan yesterday recovered the bodies of
15 people buried by a mudslide which flattened an entire village, as
East Asia cleaned up and counted the cost of Typhoon Aere.
An aerial shot shows Tochang village in Hsinchu county devasted by a
mudslide triggered by Typhoon Aere. -- AFP
The bodies were pulled from the mud in Tochang in the mountains of
Hsinchu county where over 20 houses were destroyed by a landslide
triggered by the typhoon late on Wednesday, rescue official Lin
Guan-cheng said.
The typhoon left at least 24 people dead and nine others missing in
Taiwan. Extreme weather linked to Aere also left 12 dead or missing in
the Philippines, two dead in Japan and one missing in China.
Another typhoon, Chaba, caused high waves in southern Japan yesterday
that swept away and killed two swimmers, police said. It was expected
to hit Okinawa today.
Aere, packing winds of 130kmh, ripped through the southern islands of
Japan on Monday before buffeting Taiwan and slamming into
south-eastern China on Wednesday. It is moving towards China's
south-eastern Guangdong province.
In remote villages in Hsinchu county, stunned villagers were plucked
to safety by helicopters as days of torrential rain threatened fresh
landslides.
'We had lived such a peaceful life in the past 20 years and now... it
came so suddenly... like a nightmare,' a sobbing woman told reporters
after being airlifted to safety from Tochang.
The Central Weather Bureau said the typhoon had dumped 1,335mm of rain
on Hsinchu in three days, prompting the government to issue landslide
warnings to 80 towns and villages.
Financial markets, schools and offices have been shut for two days in
Taiwan as thousands of people in low-lying areas were evacuated after
flooding and landslides.
In China, authorities were yesterday mopping up after sustaining heavy
damage from the typhoon. One man was reported missing.
Early reports indicated that a decision by authorities to evacuate
more than one million people before Aere made land in Fujian province
paid off.
Seven people suffered minor injuries although damage was heavy with
8,270 houses destroyed and 46,800ha of farmland ruined. Agricultural
damage was estimated at NT$7.7 million (S$397,000).
Fujian moved 937,000 people to safety while neighbouring Zhejiang,
fearing a repeat of the chaos caused by Typhoon Rananim that left 164
dead just weeks ago, evacuated 249,000.
It reported one person missing.
Aere also took its toll on the Philippines, where schools and
government offices remained closed in Manila yesterday. Some 12 people
were dead or missing. -- AFP
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