In central Taiwan, Typhoon Bilis triggered mudflows and landslides yesterday, destroying homes in its path and leaving thousands stranded in remote mountainous areas.
A landslide caused by the torrential downpour of the typhoon buried eight honey-peach farmers alive, including a six-year-old girl, in a farmer's hut at about 3am yesterday in the mountainous region of Jenai township (
"Aboriginal tribes in the mountains are encountering more problems in general at this point. But villagers in Puli (
PHOTO: AFP
Over 120 houses and buildings in the mountainous areas of Nantou were toppled or damaged by the typhoon. Some residents are being temporarily sheltered in school buildings.
"We have asked the county government for further help but haven't received a response yet," said Li Wen-hsuan (
Last year's 921 earthquake stripped many mountainsides of trees, raising the risk of mudslides during heavy rains.
A number of mudflows disrupted local transportation.
The typhoon also caused power shortages and cut off telephone services in some areas.
Many Aboriginal tribes were left in need of clean drinking water as the spring water they previously relied on became turbid with the mud brought by the typhoon.
"They need at least 1,000 cases of bottle water," said Li.
Moreover, some residents stranded in the areas have called for medical supplies for patients with chronic diseases and children that became sick after drinking unclean water. In addition, they are also at risk of running out of food.
Some areas in Puli township were damaged by Typhoon Bilis. The typhoon ripped off roofs -- made of plastic -- of over 20 wooden-walled houses put up for local victims of the last year's earthquake in Niuwei Community (
"We've got nothing now," said Chen Man (
"I thought there was no way for us to escape," said Chiang Hsueh-mei (
Meanwhile, Puli's Neipu (內埔) area remains threatened by mudflows. "The old dam here is almost over burdened, on top of which we found several cracks in the dam after the quake," said Chang Chung-chi (張仲齊), a local volunteer.
"The village is located only a few hundred meters downstream from the dam. There will be a disaster if the dam can't stop the mudflows," he said. "The government doesn't seem willing to help rebuild the dam right away. But villagers here are too poor to move away."
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