According to the latest death toll figures, Morakot has claimed 108 lives in Taiwan. The fierce typhoon has also affected the island's economy. However, local people have already started rebuilding their lives with the hope of a new future.
The muddy ground devastated homes and bereaved families. These are what Morakot has left behind. As the flood waters recede, people are trying to get their lives back on track. Rescue workers are searching for survivors in remote and inaccessible villages, where hundreds of residents are believed to have been trapped.
Helicopters have become the most convenient rescue vehicle, hovering over devastated areas and lowering down ropes to hoist trapped residents.
However, continuos rainfall has hindered the rescue operation. Bridges and roads to those hard-hit areas have collapsed, adding difficulty to the mission of the rescue workers.
(CCTV August 14, 2009)
