Taiwan, Natural Disaster | featured news

The death toll from Typhoon Saola rose on Friday to 44 in the Philippines and Taiwan as storms and Typhoon Damrey made landfall in China, where two died and about 770,000 were evacuated. The Philippines recorded 39 deaths in floods and accidents caused by Saola’s torrential rains and strong winds, the Office of Civil Defence said. At least two people were missing and feared dead.

Slow-moving Typhoon Nanmadol remained dangerous Sunday despite weakening as it struck the tip of the mountainous northern Philippines, leaving at least eight people dead and scuttling a visit by a U.S. Navy battleship group, officials said. Taiwan issued sea and land warnings and planned to evacuate about 6,000 people in its eastern and southern regions as it braced for the typhoon. Troops and rescue equipment were deployed for any contingency, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said.

The death toll from Typhoon Megi rose to 11 on Saturday as it cut a deadly path into Asia, triggering mudslides and leaving tourists stranded in Taiwan.

TAIPEI (Reuters) - A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.6 shook much of Taiwan on Monday, the Central Weather Bureau said, but there were no immediate reports of damage.

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake rocked southern Taiwan Thursday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. There were no immediate reports of damage, injuries or deaths.

Two strong earthquakes hit between Japan's southernmost islands and the coast of Taiwan on Monday, both briefly prompting tsunami warnings, the Japanese Meteorological Agency said.

Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou said Sunday he accepts responsibility for the government's slow response after Typhoon Morakot slammed into the island killing at more than 120 people and unleashing floods, mudslides and misery.

Taiwan leaders already under fire for a perceived slow response to a typhoon that likely killed hundreds have begun accepting foreign aid after earlier refusing those offers, officials said on Saturday.

A mudslide triggered by torrential rains from a typhoon may have buried up to 600 villagers in mountainous southern Taiwan, disaster officials said on Monday.