Sunday, August 16, 2009 TAIPEI: President has ordered to speed up rescue operations to dealt with massive deaths and destruction after Typhoon Morakot struck in Taiwan.Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou put the overall death toll on Friday at about 500, making it the island's deadliest weather disaster since 1959 when more than 600 perished in a typhoon.Taiwan awaited desperately needed aid from the United States, China and other countries Sunday as villagers mourned the hundreds who were killed in the worst storm to strike the island in 50 years.Taiwan's Foreign Ministry said giant helicopters from the U.S. that can carry cranes and backhoes were expected to arrive in a few days to help rescue those that might still be trapped, and to help rebuild roads in villages devastated when Typhoon Morakot hit a week ago. The U.S. has also agreed to send other relief materials, it said in a statement, without elaborating.Typhoon Morakot slammed into Taiwan on August 8, dumping more than three metres (120 inches) of rain that unleashed floods and mudslides wh?ich tore through houses and buildings, ripped up roads and smashed bridges.It was the worst-ever typhoon to strike Taiwan, the president said on Friday, saying the scale of the damage was more severe than a 1959 typhoon that killed 667 people and left around 1,000 missing.
Sunday, August 16, 2009 TAIPEI: President has ordered to speed up rescue operations to dealt with massive deaths and destruction after Typhoon Morakot struck in Taiwan.Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou put the overall death toll on Friday at about 500, making it the island's deadliest weather disaster since 1959 when more than 600 perished in a typhoon.Taiwan awaited desperately needed aid from the United States, China and other countries Sunday as villagers mourned the hundreds who were killed in the worst storm to strike the island in 50 years.Taiwan's Foreign Ministry said giant helicopters from the U.S. that can carry cranes and backhoes were expected to arrive in a few days to help rescue those that might still be trapped, and to help rebuild roads in villages devastated when Typhoon Morakot hit a week ago. The U.S. has also agreed to send other relief materials, it said in a statement, without elaborating.Typhoon Morakot slammed into Taiwan on August 8, dumping more than three metres (120 inches) of rain that unleashed floods and mudslides wh?ich tore through houses and buildings, ripped up roads and smashed bridges.It was the worst-ever typhoon to strike Taiwan, the president said on Friday, saying the scale of the damage was more severe than a 1959 typhoon that killed 667 people and left around 1,000 missing.
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