Taiwan’s fire department on Thursday revised down the death toll from Super Typhoon Ragasa to 14, as rescue operations pressed on to locate 33 people still missing in the country’s remote eastern region.
Authorities said the figure, previously reported as 17, was corrected after it emerged some casualties had been counted twice. The number of missing also fell sharply from 152 on Wednesday, as officials clarified cases of people who had been out of contact but later confirmed safe.
The devastation was centered in Hualien County’s Guangfu township, where torrents of water, mud, and boulders surged through streets after a mountain barrier lake overflowed.
Soldiers and volunteers worked alongside residents, using shovels, buckets, and excavators to clear thick black mud.
“It’s too risky to return home now. We must make sure people are aware of the potential danger, especially the elderly,” said Esther Chen, 26, a volunteer helping with relief efforts.
Premier Cho Jung-tai said most of the victims were trapped on the ground floors of homes when the floodwaters struck. He urged authorities to “seize the golden rescue window” to locate the missing, while pledging an investigation into the deaths.
Key infrastructure remains badly hit. Guangfu’s train station has reopened, but the main highway remains severed after floodwaters swept away a bridge.
President Lai Ching-te, who pledged one month of his salary toward relief, was scheduled to visit the disaster zone later on Thursday to meet displaced residents.
Officials also warned of ongoing risks from the barrier dam behind Guangfu. Agriculture Minister Chen Junne-jih ruled out blasting it with explosives, warning such action could worsen the threat by triggering more landslides.
Ragasa’s outer bands dumped torrential rains on Taiwan’s east coast earlier this week, unleashing the wall of water that devastated Guangfu.
While skies have since cleared, emergency crews face a race against time to find survivors amid unstable terrain and lingering hazards.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
