Floods kill 500 during Taiwan typhoon

FLOODS and mudslides unleashed by Typhoon Morakot last weekend have killed about 500 people on the island, Taiwan’s president has said.

President Ma Ying-jeou called on rescue crews yesterday to step up their efforts.

Morakot destroyed the homes of 7,000 people and caused agricultural and property damage in excess of €1 billion, the president said at a national security conference, his first since he took office 15 months ago.