300 buried alive in southern Taiwan village

Taipei (Taiwan), Aug.14 (ANI): About 300 people are estimated to have been killed by a massive landslide that wiped out much of a village in southern Taiwan, news agency reports quoted a government official, as saying on Friday.

The tragedy is said to have taken place in the village of Hsiao Li.

The official death toll in Taiwan from "Typhoon Morakot" till last weekend stood at 116.

The worst floods in decades washed out roads, snapped bridges and sent low-rise buildings crashing into rivers, according to the latest statement by the disaster agency.

Pressure is mounting on Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou to expedite operations to rescue hundreds of residents of remote mountainous villages buried or stranded in the aftermath of the typhoon. (ANI)