Taiwan revises down Super Typhoon Ragasa death toll, as 33 remain missing

Taiwan’s fire department on Thursday revised down to 14 the death toll from a typhoon this week on its remote east coast, as rescuers continued to search for 33 people still missing.

HUALIEN, Taiwan — Taiwan’s fire department on Thursday revised down to 14 the death toll from a typhoon this week on its remote east coast, as rescuers continued to search for 33 people still missing amid thick, black mud and scenes of devastation.

The deaths happened after Super Typhoon Ragasa’s outer bands brought heavy rain to Hualien county, causing a barrier lake in the mountains to overflow and unleash a wall of water onto the small town of Guangfu.

Having said the previous day that 17 had died, the fire department adjusted that to 14, saying some casualties had been counted twice.

A car is seen stuck in mud in Hualien on Wednesday, after the bursting of the lake.STR / AFP via Getty ImagesIt put the new number of missing at 33, a figure that had hit 152 on Wednesday, as the government searches for people reported out of contact.

In downtown Guangfu, residents and rescuers, including soldiers, used shovels, buckets and diggers to remove the mud and stones carried by the floodwaters.