PRESSURE is mounting on Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou to speed up operations to rescue hundreds of people buried or stranded on remote mountain villages in the aftermath of typhoon Morakot.

RESCUERS in Taiwan have found nearly 1,000 people alive in the area around three remote villages devastated by Typhoon Morakot, which pummelled the island over the weekend, the country’s military said.

Nearly 1,000 people have been found alive around three remote Taiwan villages devastated by typhoon Morakot.

MILITARY helicopters ferried stricken villagers to safety yesterday from remote Taiwanese communities hit by Typhoon Morakot that left at least 70 dead, but hundreds more were still feared trapped by a torrent of mud and rock that buried their homes.