54 mainland tourists saved, 20 still missing


Xinhua, October 24, 2010

All 54 stranded tourists from the Chinese mainland, who were stranded in Taiwan Friday night after heavy rains brought by Typhoon Megi triggered landslides, were lifted out of danger by helicopters Saturday morning, but 20 other mainland tourists remained missing, Taiwan tourism authorities said.

Rescuers search for missing mainland tourists who were trapped on Taiwan's Highway No. 9, which connects Suao, Ilan County, and Hualien, Hualien County, after it was damaged by the landslides caused by Typhoon Megi, northern Taiwan October 23, 2010. [Xinhua photo]

Among those out of contact are 19 mainland tourists from a tourist group from Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province, and a tourist group leader from Beijing after their buses were hit by mud and rock at a section of the Suao-Hualien Highway on the island's east coast.

Two local tour guides and one local driver were also out of contact, the local tourism authorities said.

People have been evacuated from the flood-hit areas in Ilan County, Taiwan, on Oct 21 as Typhoon Megi arrived. More than 500 mainland tourists have been stranded in Taiwan following the heavy rains since Thursday, with at least 19 of them out of contact.

Three other local people in two vehicles were also missing on the highway, bringing the total number of missing people to 26, said the local emergency management authority on Saturday morning.

Disasters caused by Typhoon Megi have claimed 11 lives in the island, according to the emergency management authority.

People have been evacuated from the flood-hit areas in Ilan County, Taiwan, Oct 21. More than 500 mainland tourists have been stranded in Taiwan since Thursday.

Typhoon Megi made landfall on the southeast coast of the Chinese mainland Saturday afternoon, leading to the evacuation of tens of thousands of local residents.

The meteorological observatory under the State Oceanic Administration on Saturday warned people in the southeast coastal regions of Fujian and Zhejiang provinces to avoid activities in the sea and for boats to stay in harbor.