The death toll from Typhoon Morakot in Taiwan could reach more than 500, Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou said Friday.

Rescue workers work for disaster relief near a ruined bridge on the road to Xinkai village in Kaohsiung of Taiwan, Aug. 12, 2009. The village was hit by debris flow caused by typhoon Morakot, which might result in serious casualties.(Xinhua Photo)

According to the island’s disaster-relief authorities, Morakot,the strongest typhoon to hit the island in half a century, had killed at least 117 people by 10 a.m. Friday.

Another 59 people were still missing and 45 were injured, they said.

the typhoon.

The 380 people are from Kaohsiung’s Hsiaolin village which was buried in mudslides on Aug. 9.

“Plus more than 120 confirmed deaths, the death toll in Taiwan could top 500,” Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou said Friday at an emergency meeting.

Disaster-relief authorities said the death toll was 117 people at 10 a.m. Friday.

Another 59 people are missing and 45 were injured, they said.

A helicopter prepares to take off to rescue trapped residents in Kaohsiung county of south China’s Taiwan Province, Aug. 11, 2009. Helicopters rescued many residents trapped by flood and mudslide caused by Typhoon Morakot on Tuesday morning as the weather became clear. The death toll in Taiwan after typhoon Morakot swept across the island surged to 103 as of 9 p.m. Wednesday after rescuers found 32 bodies in southern Kaohsiung County, local media reported. (Xinhua/Chen Jianxing)

Ma said Morakot was an even worse disaster than floods that killed more than 600 people in 1959, Ma urged the whole island to mobilize to contribute to disaster relief and reconstruction work in affected areas.

The mainland-based Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the Chinese mainland will send rescue and health care teams as well as relief supplies to the island.

The mainland has already donated several million yuan to Taiwan for disaster relief.

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet