Taiwan

Megi strands over 500 mainland tourists in Taiwan

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-10-22 15:02

TAIPEI - More than 500 mainland tourists have been stranded in Taiwan by heavy rains brought by typhoon Megi since Thursday, with at least 19 of them out of contact and a tour bus stuck in a caved-in section of road, Taiwan tourism authorities said.

A motorcyclist walks through flood waters with her vehicle after the occurrence of Typhoon Megi in Ilan county, northern Taiwan Oct 22, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]

Of the 559 mainland tourists stranded, 290 had been lifted out of danger by Friday noon, the authorities said.

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Rescue teams, composed of soldiers and firefighters, have been transporting food by foot over the caved-in roads to the stranded people.

The Chinese mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) on Friday morning called on Taiwan authorities to "make all-out efforts" to save stranded mainland tourists.

The Taiwan meteorological department said heavy rains and strong winds will continue to wreak havoc in the northeastern part of the island Friday, while Saturday would see the rains easing.

Megi is the 13th typhoon and possibly the strongest to hit China this year. The mainland's southern provinces, including Hainan, Guangdong, Jiangxi and Fujian, are bracing for heavy rains and strong winds as the typhoon approaches them.