National

Regional

Taiwan, HK, Macao

Special Coverage

Focus

Society

Profiles

Typhoon death toll in Taiwan rises to 163

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-08-23 19:00

TAIPEI: The death toll of Typhoon Morakot hit 163 in Taiwan as of 10 pm Saturday, 10 more than Friday's figure, local disaster response authorities said.

The authorities also reported 503 missing and 45 people injured as of Saturday night.

The heaviest confirmed death tolls were reported in the counties of Kaohsiung with 96, Tainan with 28 and Pingtung with 22.

Related readings:  Mainland in quick support to typhoon-ravaged Taiwan  Taiwan begins 3-day mourning after typhoon  Military starts grim typhoon work in Taiwan  Over 600 dead, missing in Taiwan as army digs for bodies  CNN Again! Poll on Taiwan leader backfires

Search for the victims is still underway at two villages in Kaohsiung where hundreds of villagers were feared buried alive by mudslides. Local emergency response center in Kaohsiung was still working on the exact casualty figures.

Morakot on August 8 was the worst typhoon to hit the island in nearly 50 years, wreaking havoc across the central and southern regions.