Overview

• Rescue teams in Hualien’s Guangfu worked Friday to locate 11 people still missing as the death toll held at 14, Reuters reported.
• Super Typhoon Ragasa’s torrential rains caused a debris-dammed lake to overflow on Tuesday, unleashing a surge of water and sludge through the town.
• Although floodwaters have receded, thick mud blankets large areas and crews have been cutting holes in rooftops to check for people inside.
• Officials say the barrier lake has shrunk to roughly 12% of its previous size, and the government has ruled out using explosives to break the dam.
• Nearly 500 personnel with heavy machinery are clearing debris, with reports of mud reaching three to five meters in places and rescuers reaching residents stranded on second floors.