Taiwan has lowered the death toll from Typhoon Ragasa by three to 14 as the weakened tropical storm moves through China and heads to Vietnam.
The Hualien County Fire Department on Thursday adjusted the previous day’s death toll from 17, saying some casualties had been counted twice as the impact on the island’s remote east coast is documented.
The number of missing people was also lowered to 33 from 152 on Wednesday, as the search for those reported to be out of contact continued.
The deaths came after the typhoon’s outer bands brought heavy rain to Hualien County, causing a barrier lake in the mountains to overflow, unleashing a wall of water onto the town of Guangfu.
Taiwan Premier Cho Jung-tai said the deaths, which mostly happened on the first floors of buildings, must be investigated, and authorities must “seize the golden rescue window” to find the missing.
While Guangfu’s train station is back in operation, the main highway has been cut off after floodwaters swept away the bridge.
Taiwan President William Lai Ching-te on Wednesday pledged a month of his salary to relief efforts for displaced residents, and is visiting the disaster zone later on Thursday.
China cleanup
Ragasa churned into mainland China’s Guangdong province late on Wednesday, with winds up to 145km/h (90mph), after sweeping past Hong Kong.
People in southern China began cleaning up the damage on Thursday.
Journalists from the AFP news agency at the impact point around the city of Yangjiang on Thursday saw fallen trees, while road signs and debris were strewn across the streets.
However, authorities have not reported any storm-related deaths.
On Hailing – an island administered by Yangjiang – relief workers attempted to clear a huge tree that had fallen across a wide road.
The island is a popular holiday spot, and many locals rely on the tourism industry to make a living.
By the time the storm hit Hailing, authorities had ordered businesses and schools to shut down in at least 10 cities across the nation’s south, affecting tens of millions of people.
Nearly 2.2 million people in Guangdong were relocated by Wednesday afternoon, but local officials later said several cities in the province started lifting restrictions on schools and businesses.
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said Ragasa made its second landfall in Beihai, Guangxi, on Thursday morning as a tropical storm.
Chinese authorities earmarked the equivalent of about $49m to support rescue and relief work, the Xinhua news agency said.
By Thursday morning, Ragasa’s sustained winds had weakened to a maximum 65km/h (40mph), and it was forecast to dissipate eventually, while remaining a rain threat for Vietnam and other parts of Southeast Asia.
The post Taiwan lowers Typhoon Ragasa death toll to 14; China starts cleanup appeared first on Al Jazeera.
