Charities add funds, workers to official typhoon aid efforts

The government and various civic groups rushed to aid disaster victims as torrential rains left in the wake of Typhoon Mindulle continued to cause floods and landslides in central Taiwan yesterday.

According to the National Disaster Relief Center, the typhoon death toll reached 18. The four new fatalities were a man initially thought missing whose body was found in Penghu, and three victims of a mudslide in Tungshih, Taichung County.

More than 1,000 people were thought to be stranded by flood-waters and storm damage in Tai-chung County. Charities worked with local governments to bring aid to Taichung and Yunlin counties, providing extra manpower and supplies as rescue workers sought to reach those in need.

Taiwan Red Cross representatives said that the organization had over 10,000 volunteers, with many providing disaster relief and others in reserve, and was operating relief centers in Taichung, Taitung and Yunlin counties.

Representatives of World Vision, a Christian charity group, in Nantou and Taichung counties said they also were mobilizing to deal with the current disaster.

"A lot of Aboriginal communities have been stranded by the floods since the road situation is really bad," said World Vision's central Taiwan disaster relief head Chuan Kuo-chen (全國成). "In Heping Village [in Taichung county], there are over 1,000 people who need aid. We're sheltering over 200 people in Heping and are providing them with clothing and food. We're going to keep trying to reach as many people as we can."

World Vision workers said the group was offering relief aid. Both groups are calling for the public to donate money, nonperishable foods and warm clothing. To learn about or contribute to the typhoon aid efforts, call the Red Cross at (02) 2362-8232 or World Vision at (02) 2585-6300.