The Taiwan Disaster Relief Center says as of Saturday, Typhoon Morakot had killed more than 120 people. Meanwhile, total economic loss have surged past 10 billion New Taiwan dollars. Local authorities are racing ahead with the launch of a reconstruction committee to take charge of recovery on the island.
The official death toll released by Taiwan authorities has climbed to 124. The number does not include the 500 that may have been buried in villages swamped by mudslides. Kaohsiung and Tainan counties reported the heaviest casualties. Since rescue work began, 23-thousand victims have been evacuated. Approximately 170 makeshift settlements are sheltering more than four-thousand people. Over fifty-thousand kilograms of relief materials have been transported to affected areas.
In hard-hit Chia'i county, landslides destroyed roads leading to Alishan Mountain, completely cutting off overland travel and leaving nearby villagers stranded. Some of the trapped managed to send out a desperate message saying they are on the verge of starvation.
