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gustav Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Title: Taiwan toll set 'to rise sharply' > Source: Al Jaseera English 2009/08/14 > Link: > http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/200 > 9/08/20098149414289785.html > > Taiwan toll set 'to rise sharply' > > > Roads damaged by the storm have hampered rescue > and relief efforts in the worst-hit areas > > Taiwan's president has said the death toll from > the floods triggered by Typhoon Morakot could top > 500 people. > > The announcement came as rescuers struggled to > rescue thousands more trapped in mountain > villages. > > Ma Ying-jeou said on Friday that he expects the > islandwide toll to rise sharply in the coming > days. > > "With 117 confirmed deaths from the typhoon and > some 380 people feared buried by mudslides in > Hsiaolin village, Taiwan's death toll could rise > to more than 500," he told a national security > meeting. > > Ma said the whole nation would mobilise to help > the victims, saying: "The government will overcome > all obstacles to accomplish the mission." > > For his part, Liu Chao-shiuan, the prime minister, > said flood-related losses were estimated to be > around $3.4bn although he did not specify the > type. > > More than 50,000 soldiers deployed to remote areas > continue to battle raging rivers and fallen > bridges to reach victims trapped in southern and > central Taiwan. > > Waiting for rescue > > Local media is reporting that dozens of > communities in southern Taiwan cut off by the > storm are still waiting for rescue, nearly a week > after the deluge. > > Relief workers in the south of Taiwan have > struggled to reach many areas, where roads have > been cut by landslides and bridges washed away. > > Authorities earlier said the official death toll > from the storm had risen to 116. But government > officials said the figure did not include an > estimated 300 people believed to have been buried > in a mudslide in Hsiao Lin, one of the worst-hit > mountain villages. > > In depth > > Typhoons: Asia's mega-storms > In pictures: Morakot's destructive path > In video: > > > Mudslide buries Taiwan town > > > Thousands missing in Taiwan typhoon > > > Typhoon Morakot hits southern China > > "The county magistrate gave the premier a report > that in his judgment about 300 were dead," the > Reuters news agency reported, quoting the head of > Taiwan's government information office. > > "These are the conditions now. Specific numbers > will depend on the army opening the road and > sending people in," the official said, in > reference to Hsiao Lin. > > Stephen Chen, the secretary-general of the Taiwan > Red Cross Society, said rescue teams are searching > for survivors in Hsiao Lin. > > But he told Al Jazeera that heavy rains were > hampering search efforts, even though they have > eased in some parts of the island. > > "If the weather gets better, then we can have more > rescue teams going to the village," he told Al > Jazeera on Friday. > > In addition, Chen said, rescue teams need better > resources, including newer helicopters, to tackle > the recovery operation. > > "Some of our helicopters are too old for these > rescue needs. This kind of helicopter is more than > 30 years old, and is not good enough. So we would > like to have better helicopters." > > Pressure mounting > > Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on the government > to speed up rescue and recovery efforts. > > Many survivors from the hardest hit areas have > said more lives could have been saved if > authorities had acted more quickly. > > At one rescue centre tempers flared as relatives > desperate for news of missing loved-ones fought > with police and soldiers as they tried to storm > their way on to helicopters heading to the > disaster zone. > > > Taiwan has issued an appeal for international help > as it steps up rescue efforts > > Newspaper editorials in Taiwan have also > criticised the official response to the disaster - > saying Ma was too slow to send in troops to help. > > But the government has said it is ready to put > more money into the rescue efforts and already has > plans for rebuilding communities devastated in the > storm. > > Al Jazeera's Steve Chao, reporting from Kaohsiung > county - one the hardest-hit regions - said it is > difficult to gauge how accurate the criticism has > been. > > "We saw a huge presence of rescue workers and aid > organisations and we saw a lot of the military > soldiers working very hard ..., so it is difficult > to get a true picture of how well or how poorly > co-ordinated the relief effort has been," he > said. > > "We are aware of at least two communities that > were not so much ignored, but did not receive aid > fast enough. > > "Some of the survivors were forced to live on > water that they could find for themselves before > aid arrived. > > "So there is criticism. How real or true this is > is still difficult to say. We will get a clear > picture of that in the coming days." > > The government issued an appeal on Thursday for > international help, including heavy-lift > helicopters, as part of efforts to locate and > rescue the thousands of people still missing or > stranded across the island. > > > > -------------------------------------------------- > ----------------------- > > Title: Taiwanese hauled to safety across raging > river > Source: Washington Post/ By PETER ENAV, The > Associated Press, Thursday, August 13, 2009; 4:08 > PM > Link: > http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/artic > le/2009/08/13/AR2009081300247.html > -------------------------------------------------- > ----------------------------- > > > A volunteer carries a rescued infant trapped by > Typhoon Morakot by helicopter to an emergency > landing zone in Cishan, Taiwan, Thursday, Aug. 13, > 2009. Taiwan's military continued to airlift > survivors from remote mountain villages devastated > by mudslides triggered by last weekend's typhoon, > as it announced Thursday it was sending another > 4,000 soldiers to help with the rescue effort. (AP > Photo/Wally Santana) > > > Taiwan military and volunteers bring rescued > elderly and children trapped by Typhoon Morakot by > helicopter to an emergency landing zone in Cishan, > Taiwan, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009. Taiwan's military > continued to airlift survivors from remote > mountain villages devastated by mudslides > triggered by last weekend's typhoon, as it > announced Thursday it was sending another 4,000 > soldiers to help with the rescue effort. (AP > Photo/Wally Santana) > > > Relatives of victims wait patiently for Taiwan > military bringing rescued residents trapped by > Typhoon Morakot to an emergency landing zone in > Cishan, Taiwan, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009. Taiwan's > military continued to airlift survivors from > remote mountain villages devastated by mudslides > triggered by last weekend's typhoon, as it > announced Thursday it was sending another 4,000 > soldiers to help with the rescue effort. (AP > Photo/Wally Santana) > > > Taiwan military and Red Cross volunteers bring > rescued boys trapped by Typhoon Morakot to an > emergency landing zone in Cishan, Taiwan, > Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009. Taiwan's military > continued to airlift survivors from remote > mountain villages devastated by mudslides > triggered by last weekend's typhoon, as it > announced Thursday it was sending another 4,000 > soldiers to help with the rescue effort. (AP > Photo/Wally Santana) > > > In this image released by the Taiwan Military News > Agency, soldiers and rescuers help victims > evacuate flooded village Laiji, following Typhoon > Morakot, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009, in Jiayi County, > central Taiwan. Typhoon Morakot caused the worst > flooding in Taiwan in 50 years as it pummeled the > island Friday and Saturday. (AP Photo/Taiwan > Military News Agency) > > > In this photo released by the Taiwan Military News > Agency, soldiers and survivors unload provisions > for victims of Typhoon Morakot in Laiji valley, > Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009, in Jiayi County, central > Taiwan. The typhoon caused the worst flooding in > Taiwan in 50 years as it pummeled the island > Friday and Saturday. (AP Photo/Taiwan Military > News Agency) > > > In this photo released by the Taiwan Military News > Agency, soldiers remove mud following Typhoon > Morakot, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009, in Jiayi County, > central Taiwan. Typhoon Morakot caused the worst > flooding in Taiwan in 50 years as it pummeled the > island Friday and Saturday. (AP Photo/Taiwan > Military News Agency) > > > A victim stands in front of a destroyed house in > the flooded village of Liugui following Typhoon > Morakot, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009 in Kaohsiung > County, southern Taiwan. Typhoon Morakot caused > the worst flooding in Taiwan in 50 years as it > pummeled the island Friday and Saturday. (AP > Photo) > > > In this image released by the Taiwan Military News > Agency, soldiers help victims evacuate the flooded > village of Laiji, following Typhoon Morakot, > Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009, in Jiayi County, central > Taiwan. Typhoon Morakot caused the worst flooding > in Taiwan in 50 years as it pummeled the island > Friday and Saturday. (AP Photo/Taiwan Military > News Agency) > > > A rescuer glides on a rope into river to reach the > flooded village of Liugui following Typhoon > Morakot, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009, in Kaohsiung > County, southern Taiwan. Typhoon Morakot caused > the worst flooding in Taiwan in 50 years as it > pummeled the island Friday and Saturday. (AP > Photo) > > > In this image released by the Taiwan Military News > Agency, members of the Aboriginal community thanks > as a military helicopter arrives to bring relief > supplies and to move victims out of the area after > the village was damaged by Typhoon Morakot in > Laiji Village, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009, in Jiayi > County, central Taiwan. Typhoon Morakot caused the > worst flooding in Taiwan in 50 years as it > pummeled the island Friday and Saturday. (AP > Photo/Taiwan Military News Agency) > > > In this photo released by the Taiwan Military News > Agency, soldiers disinfect following Typhoon > Morakot, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009, in Jiayi County, > central Taiwan. Typhoon Morakot caused the worst > flooding in Taiwan in 50 years as it pummeled the > island Friday and Saturday. (AP Photo/Taiwan > Military News Agency) > > > Taiwan military soldiers rescue a villager on an > emergency cable sling strung across the Ba Si Lan > river in Sinfa, Taiwan, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009, > five days after flash flooding from Typhoon > Morakot took the lives of 32 fellow villagers. (AP > Photo/Wally Santana) > > > Taiwanese rescuers hold babies before crossing the > river to evacuate the flooded village of Liugui > following Typhoon Morakot, Thursday, Aug. 13, > 2009, in Kaohsiung County, southern Taiwan. Some > 14,000 villagers have been rescued _ including 600 > on Thursday _ since Typhoon Morakot dumped more > than 80 inches (2 meters) of rain this past > weekend, the island's disaster relief center said. > The storm unleashed the worst floods the island > has seen in 50 years. (AP Photo) > > > Taiwan military rescue villagers on an emergency > cable sling strung across the Ba Si Lan river in > Sinfa, Taiwan, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009. (AP > Photo/Wally Santana) > > > Taiwan military rescue villagers on an emergency > cable sling strung across the Ba Si Lan river in > Sinfa, Taiwan, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009, five days > after flash flooding from Typhoon Morakot took the > lives of 32 fellow villagers. The sign reads 32 > dead in their village from Typhoon Morakot's > flooding. (AP Photo/Wally Santana) (Wally Santana > - AP) > > > Taiwan military rescue villagers on an emergency > cable sling strung across the Ba Si Lan river in > Sinfa, Taiwan, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009, five days > after flash flooding from Typhoon Morakot took the > lives of 32 fellow villagers. Hundreds of > villagers fled their homes minutes before a > flood-created lake burst Thursday, as the > Taiwanese military deployed thousands more troops > to rescue and deliver supplies to survivors from > remote villages devastated during last weekend's > typhoon. (AP Photo/Wally Santana) (Wally Santana - > AP) > > > A Taiwanese woman prays for victims during a > donation ceremony following Typhoon Morakot, > Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009, in Taipei, Taiwan. Some > 14,000 villagers have been rescued _ including 600 > on Thursday _ since Typhoon Morakot dumped more > than 80 inches (2 meters) of rain this past > weekend, the island's disaster relief center said. > The storm unleashed the worst floods the island > has seen in 50 years. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying) > > -------------------------------------------------- > ------------------------------ > By PETER ENAV > The Associated Press > Thursday, August 13, 2009; 4:08 PM > -------------------------------------------------- > ------------------------------ > > SINFA, Taiwan -- Barefoot and helmeted, the > frightened survivors of deadly Typhoon Morakot > dangled high over jagged rocks and a raging river > Thursday as soldiers hauled them to safety one by > one along a 100-foot-long cable. > > On the far side, a few dozen waited near a > hand-painted sign on the craggy foundation of a > destroyed bridge: "32 people died here SOS." > > The perilous rescue was part of a massive military > effort to save hundreds of stranded villagers > after the worst flooding to hit Taiwan in 50 > years. Some 14,000 villager have been rescued > since the typhoon struck five days ago; hundreds > more are feared missing or dead. > > As criticism mounted Thursday over Taiwan's > response to the disaster, the government > dispatched another 4,000 troops to work with the > 14,000 already deployed. Many of them are working > in Kaohsiung County, a mountainous farming region > in southern Taiwan. > > The rugged terrain and widespread devastation > played havoc with rescue efforts following the > storm, which dumped 80 inches (2 meters) of rain > on the island over the weekend. > > Soldiers in fatigues and heavy gloves resorted to > using a makeshift zipline to haul survivors from > the village of Sinkai over the Ba Si Lan River > where the bridge was wiped out. For hours they > labored, rescuing everyone from a young boy in > shorts to an elderly woman who brought along a > couple of shopping bags worth of belongings. > ad_icon > > Unbuckled from their harnesses, villagers looked > dazed and frightened as they recalled the > harrowing night of Aug. 8. > > "It rained for days," said Li Wen-chuan, a > grizzled-looking man of 68 with sparse > salt-and-pepper hair, teeth stained red by years > of betel nut chewing. "But the flood came so > suddenly and with a tremendous roar. It destroyed > everything in the village." > > "This is the worst thing that has ever happened to > me," he said, adding that many of the 32 who died > in village were friends and family. "My life will > never be the same." > > Pan Yi-chang, a 32-year-old mother of two, said > that when the rains spawned by Morakot began to > fall, she had no inkling that this typhoon would > be any different from others. > > The ravaged villages - most of them scattered in > neighboring townships in northern Kaohsiung County > - are typically located next to mountains, and > they usually have to brace for mudslides during > Taiwan's annual typhoon season during June to > September. > > But this time was different, residents said. > > "Everything happened so fast. Flooding just > destroyed everything," said Pan, adding that she > was lucky because all of her family survived - her > husband, her two children and her mother and > father. > > As she spoke, Pan gazed longingly across the river > toward the only home she has ever known, a > close-knit community of 1,000 whose economy is > based on growing mangos and guavas. > > In the background, a heavy mist enveloped the > summit of a nearby mountain and torrents of water > cascaded down its dark green facades. > > Scores of villages in the rural south of Taiwan > were devastated by the typhoon. One of the worst > affected is Shiao Lin, where hundreds remain > missing after a catastrophic mudslide spawned by > days of torrential rain. > > Taiwan's official death toll from the storm now > stands at 108, with another 62 listed as missing. > That does not include the toll in Shiao Lin and > other remote communities. > > Many of those rescued say they can never return to > their villages because there is nothing left to > return to. > > Li, the grizzled veteran of Sinkai, is not one of > them. > ad_icon > > "I am going back," he said. "Sinkai is where my > roots are. I have no other place to go." > > Many complained that the government was too slow > to mobilize the rescue and cleanup effort, saying > more victims could have been saved if they had > moved sooner and faster. > > "Why does the government say only useless things?" > a woman eager to learn the fate of relatives > trapped in Kaochung village in the south asked. > With tears filling her eyes, she told TV > reporters: "I've been waiting for several days, > yet there has not been anyone going to rescue my > family." > > In a short interview with CNN, President Ma > Ying-jeou blamed the severe damage brought by the > flooding on villagers' inability to get out of > their communities before the storm. > > Authorities in Kaohsiung County did ask > inhabitants from the villages most severely > battered by Morakot to leave before the storm, but > they did not try to forcibly remove the residents, > and some villagers decided against leaving. > > "They were not fully prepared. If they were, they > should have been evacuated much earlier," Ma said. > "They didn't realize how serious the disaster > was." > > Ma did not comment on whether the government was > doing enough to help with the evacuation. > > Troops were working Thursday to restore severed > roads, rehabilitate ravaged neighborhood and ferry > typhoon victims to safety in dozens of helicopter > missions. > > So far some 14,000 villagers have been rescued - > including 600 on Thursday, the island's disaster > relief center said. > > Another 2,000 villagers were staying either in > open fields or on higher ground and waiting to be > taken to shelters, it said. Several hundred more - > no one is sure how many - remain unaccounted for > and are feared lost in the mudslides. > > > -------------------------------------------------- > ---------------------- > Title: Taiwan typhoon toll could triple as entire > village lies buried > Source: CNN, by SHIAO LIN, 2009/08/14 > Link: > http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/08/14/typhoo > n.wrap/index.html?iref=newssearch > -------------------------------------------------- > ---------------------- > SHIAO LIN, Taiwan (CNN) -- The number of people > killed in Taiwan by Typhoon Morakot, a destructive > storm that swept through East Asia last week, > could triple because hundreds of people are feared > trapped under mudslides, the president's office > said Friday. > > > Luo Shou Luan (left) is comforted as she looks at > what is left of her home village, Shiao Lin. > > > The typhoon rains flooded the river next to Chen's > home. > > > The official toll from the typhoon was 118 but > could jump to more than 300, with as many as 200 > feared buried under five stories of mud in the > badly-hit village of Shiao Lin, presidential > spokesman Wang Yuchi said. > > Rescuers were on Friday trying to determine if the > mud was stable enough to bring in excavators to > begin searching for bodies. > > Since the typhoon made landfall over the weekend, > more than 31,000 people have been pulled from > villages inundated by mudslides and floodwaters, > according to official government figures. > > But in remote mountainous areas of Kaohsiung > County, where Shiao Lin is located, rescue efforts > have been hampered by torrential downpours, dense > fog, rugged terrain and raging rivers. > > Washed out roads and bridges rendered ground > rescue operations virtually impossible in the > central and southern regions of the island, the > National Disaster Prevention and Protection > Commission said. █ Video Watch challenges facing > rescuers » > > Typhoon Morakot dropped about three meters (118 > inches) of rain on southern and central parts of > this island last week. > > After hitting Taiwan, it roared on to mainland > China, killing at least six people and displacing > 1.4 million, authorities said. > > The typhoon has prompted and international aid > effort, with more than 30 countries offering > money, helicopters, medication or other supplies. > > > Officials from Hong Kong said they would recommend > sending H.K. $50 million (U.S. $6.45 million) in > aid. The aid request needed to get final > authorization. > > Taiwanese President Ma Ying toured the Jiadong and > Linbian townships in Pingtung County Thursday, > then visited Kaohsiung County, where a wall of mud > had cut off Shiao Lin. > > Survivor Chen Chiu Lian, 76, told how she and her > grandson swam for their lives when the storm hit > Shiao Lin, destroying all but their home. > > She said: "I had just finished eating. My grandson > was taking a nap. It rained and rained. There was > water to my left and to my right ... The next day, > it was still raining. > > "Our house was like a boat. The water was like an > ocean. How can you escape? There was no way to > escape. > advertisement > > "My grandson told me to swim. I was swimming and > crawling through the water and debris." Video > Watch her story of survival » > Embedded video from CNN Video > > Meanwhile, nearly 1,700 people were rescued > Thursday from areas devastated by the storm, and a > government spokeswoman said she believed "the > situation is getting better." Video Watch a > grandmother and children being pulled to safety by > basic means » > Embedded video from CNN Video > > Rescuers have been able to save nearly 15,700 > people. But in remote places like Shiao Lin, > rescues have proven difficult. A government list > shows 43 people were rescued from the Shiao Lin, > and there could have been as many as 300 people in > the village when the storm hit. > > On Friday, the area was eerily quiet. On the way > to Shiao Lin, a woman could be heard asking: "Have > you seen my father?" > > As for Chen, her injuries are relatively minor. > Her legs are covered in scratches and bruises from > her escape. > > "My grandson and I got to the roof of our house. > He prayed to his grandfather (who died last year). > He prayed out loud, 'Agong (Grandpa), please help > us. We're going to be washed away in this flood.' > > "My grandson was crying. He tried to comfort me > and said a helicopter would come. > > "Then we saw a helicopter and my grandson shouted > to it. The helicopter lifted us up, and the pilot > said we were very lucky because originally, he > didn't see us. He just saw the house." > > The two survivors have now found refuge at a > friend's home. > advertisement > > Chen added: "This is the worst disaster I've seen > in my 76 years. My whole life has basically been > smooth. > > "At the time, I just thought, 'I'll leave it to > the heavens.' If there hadn't been a helicopter, I > wouldn't be sitting here today." > > ---------------------------------------------- > Title: Countries pledge aid to Taiwan > Source: CNN 2009/08/14 > Link: > http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/weather/08/13/taiwan > .typhoon/index.html > > Story Highlights > # NEW: Death toll rises > # NEW: Hong Kong officials say they will > recommending sending US$6.45M (HK$50M) > # More than 30 countries offer money, helicopters, > medication, other supplies > # Official: Nearly 15,700 people pulled from > flooded villages > > > (CNN) -- More countries pledged aid to Taiwan on > Friday, days after Typhoon Morakot battered the > island and left dozens of villages deluged with > floodwaters, killing 116 people. > > > This image from an ireporter emphasizes the damage > inflicted by Typhoon Morakot. > > > Residents look at debris from a mudslide in > Taishun, in eastern China, on Tuesday. > > > A rescue worker carries a child Tuesday who > survived flooding in southern Taiwan. > > > Officials from Hong Kong said they would recommend > sending HK$50 million (US$6.45 million) in aid. > The aid request needed to get final authorization. > Once that happens Hong Kong will join a growing > group of countries and territories that have > rushed to help typhoon-battered Taiwan. > > More than 30 countries have offered money, > helicopters, medication or other supplies. > > "They have presented the goodwill to help," said > Benjamin Chi, a government spokesman. > > Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou toured the > Jiadong and Linbian townships in Pingtung County > Thursday, then visited Kaohsiung County, where a > wall of mud had cut off the village of Shiaolin. > Video Watch why public anger's building » > Embedded video from CNN Video > > Meanwhile, nearly 1,700 people were rescued from > areas devastated by the storm, and a government > spokeswoman said she believed "the situation is > getting better." > > Janet Chang said 1,692 people were rescued > Thursday, mostly from the two mountainous counties > that bore the brunt of the storm -- Kaohsiung and > Pingtung. > > However, a funeral director in coastal Kaohsiung > County, where a makeshift morgue was set up, told > CNN that about 200 bodies had arrived there -- > many from neighboring villages. Relief workers > cleaned and photographed the bodies, preparing > them for identification by loved ones. > > Chang said that based on official figures, 45 > people were injured in the storm and 59 remain > missing. She could not say how many more people > needed to be rescued. Watch a grandmother describe > her escape » > Embedded video from CNN Video > > Since the typhoon made landfall over the weekend, > nearly 15,700 people have been rescued from > villages hit by mudslides and floodwaters, > according to official government figures. > > Most of the missing were in Kaohsiung County, the > National Disaster Prevention and Protection > Commission reported. Video Watch a makeshift > morgue and funeral » > Embedded video from CNN Video > > Torrential downpours, dense fog, rugged terrain > and raging rivers have made rescues difficult. > Washed out roads and bridges rendered ground > rescue operations virtually impossible in the > central and southern regions of the island. > Rescuers were forced to search by helicopter, > inflatable boats and zip-line mechanisms that > suspended them over the muddy waters raging > below. > > In some cases food drops have been conducted over > isolated villages tucked amid the rugged terrain, > as villagers sought higher ground to stay dry. > > The Central Weather Bureau in Taiwan said that > over a one-day period after the typhoon hit, > Pingtung County received a record 55 inches of > rain (1,403 mm). Elsewhere on the island, rainfall > amounts were as high as 83 inches (2,108 mm). > > Seattle, Washington, one of the wettest U.S. > cities, has an average annual rainfall of 37 > inches per year (940 mm). > > The storm primarily targeted southern Taiwan. > > Isolated scattered showers and thunderstorms were > forecast for Taiwan overnight Thursday into > Friday, mostly in the north, where the capital is > located, said CNN International meteorologist > Brandon Miller. > > "As a whole, the weather actually is pretty good," > he said. It was 90 degrees (31C) late Thursday. > Miller said Taipei had had "significant rainfall" > of 5 or 6 inches (150 mm) over the past two days. > > The Red Cross is helping the government dispense > food, water and other necessities from a central > command center, where helicopters pick up the > supplies for their humanitarian missions, said > organization spokesman Christian Li on Wednesday. > advertisement > > Economic losses due to Morakot have been estimated > at U.S. $274 million. > > After hitting Taiwan, Morakot roared on to > mainland China on Sunday, killing at least six > people and displacing 1.4 million, authorities > said. > ---------------------------------------------- > To be continued.