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Typhoon Toraji trounces Taiwan

Chung Hui-ying, a resident of Yunlin County, holds on to ropes to escape from the 3m-deep flood brought by Typhoon Toraji yesterday. Although it was downgraded to a tropical storm after making landfall, Toraji left 35 people dead nationwide. PHOTO: CHOU LI-LAN, TAIPEI TIMES

Typhoon Toraji swept across Taiwan yesterday leaving as many as 35 people dead, 108 missing and more than 340,000 without electricity, as of press time last night.

Agricultural and forestry losses were estimated at more than NT$700 million, officials said yesterday.

Toraji -- the eighth typhoon this year and the second to make landfall -- had been losing strength since midnight last night after making landfall in Hualien County and was downgraded to a tropical storm.

Nevertheless, before it left Hsinchu County at 10:20am yesterday -- whirling its way across eastern and northern Taiwan -- the storm's heavy rains triggered landslides and flash floods in Hualien and Nantou County.

In Hualien County, 21 people were reported dead, 43 missing and 80 more stranded, according to the National Fire Administration.

Eighteen villagers in Kuangfu township's Tahsing village were buried in their houses underneath mudslides.

Two police officers were killed during an inspection trip of Kuangfu village. One of the bodies was found in the pair's patrol car, which was buried in mud in the riverbed of Chianung Creek.

Agricultural losses there were estimated at more than NT$100 million, according to the Council of Agriculture (農委會).

In Nantou County, 11 people were reported dead, 18 injured, 49 missing and more than 10,000 stranded. More than 54,000 families were left without electricity.

Over a dozen television reporters and cameramen from three cable-TV stations were stranded in a mountainous area of Shueili township, Nantou County. The national search and rescue center was waiting for rains to subside in order to dispatch helicopters.

Nantou County Commissioner Peng Pai-hsien (彭百顯) was among the 200 people stranded in the mountainous area of Hsitou, where he was conducting an inspection trip.

Traffic over Hsinyi Bridge and Aikuo Bridge in Nantou County was disrupted after the two bridges were knocked down by flash flooding.

In Changhua County, one person was reported dead, one missing and 14 others stranded, according to the National Fire Administration.

In Chiayi County, two people were missing and about 900 people were stranded near Ali Mountain. Traffic on six different freeways leading to Ali Mountain was disrupted.

In Pingtung County, 10 farmers were stranded after Laonung Creek and Kaoping Creek rose sharply. The farmers were later airlifted or taken by boat to safer ground.

More than 300 families were left without electricity and access to the outside world in Tewen village, Pingtung County. As of press time, the county government was still trying to reopen roads buried under mud.

Although no casualties were reported in Taipei City, the city's fire department dispatched 50 people from its search and rescue squads to help in Nantou County's relief efforts, in response to a request from the National Fire Administration.

Air traffic was disrupted as airlines canceled most of their domestic and international flights. Trains running between Taipei and central and southeastern Taiwan were also canceled.

The Environmental Protection Administration yesterday said that the quality of tap water might be affected by Toraji, and reminded the public of the importance of boiling tap water.

Administration officials said that boiling water for three minutes longer than usual with the pot lid off would enable the chlorine added to tap water to vaporize completely.

The officials also warned the public to promptly empty containers on their property that might have filled with rainwater. Accumulated water makes it easier for mosquitoes -- carriers of diseases such as dengue fever -- to breed, the administration said.

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Thousands stranded while many still remain missing
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