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Taiwan - Typhoon Morakot
Taiwan deploys thousands of extra troops to relief effort
Article published on the 2009-08-13 Latest update 2009-08-13 15:36 TU
Rescuers transport bodies from a crashed helicopter which was evacuating survivors following Typhoon Morakot
(Photo : Reuters)
Thousands of extra troops have been deployed to southern Taiwan in an effort to help survivors of landslides and floods caused by Typhoon Morakot. Meanwhile President Ma Ying- jeou faces growing public anger over what people see as a slow response by his government over the disaster.
A total of 34,000 troops are now involved in the rescue effort, which has seen almost 14,000 people airlifted to safety since the typhoon hit Taiwan on Saturday.
One-hundred-and-eight people have died in what have been the worst floods on the island in 50 years.
On a visit to inspect relief efforts in Yunlin county on Thursday, President Ma Ying-jeou was mobbed by survivors, saying that supplies had been flown in too late.
Widespread media criticism accused the President of being too proud to ask for outside help from the United States, Japan and Singapore.
Helicopters continue to scour remote areas of southern and central Taiwan to deliver aid and rescue survivors from villages cut off by the torrential rain. An estimated 200-million-euros-worth of damage has been caused to the country, with millions more expected in lost tourist revenue.
 More troops hurried to disaster areas amid public fury |
