TAIPEI--The Central Emergency Operation Center (CEOC) said Saturday that 1,373 people were still trapped in isolated mountain villages in southern Taiwan after Typhoon Morakot devastated the region the previous weekend, bringing torrential rain that triggered massive flooding and landslides.

The center said it would dispatch 75 helicopters later in the day to the villages in the counties of Kaohsiung, Pingtung, Taitung and Chiayi to conduct rescue missions and drop relief supplies.

Property losses caused by the typhoon so far total 50 billion New Taiwan Dollars (about 1.5 billion U.S. dollars). More than 7,000 people have been left homeless.

Morakot was an even worse disaster than floods that killed more than 600 people in 1959. Officials urged the whole island to mobilize to contribute to disaster relief and reconstruction work in affected areas.

The mainland-based Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the Chinese mainland will send rescue and health care teams as well as relief supplies to the island.

Tourism damaged

Massive flooding has badly damaged the scenic Alishan area, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Taiwan, after flood and landslides smashed roads and buried various sightseeing spots. (Source: Xinhua News Agency)

Story Date: September 2, 2010