Relatives of 20 mainland Chinese killed in landslides triggered by Typhoon Megi two weeks ago in Taiwan mourned their loved ones at a memorial ceremony in Taipei yesterday afternoon.

During a mass funeral in Taipei yesterday, Chiang Pin-kung, chairman of Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation, consoles the relative of a tourist who died in a landslide on the Suao-Hualien Highway on October 21. Taiwan issued death certificates for 19 tourists from China's mainland missing since the Typhoon Megi-triggered landslide.

The ceremony took place even though the bodies of most of the deceased have not been found.

Photographs of the 20 were displayed in a line along the front wall of the funeral home's memorial hall, with fresh flowers strung around them.

Man Hongwei, secretary-general of the mainland's Cross-Strait Tourism Exchange Association, expressed gratitude to counterparts in Taiwan's tourism industry, especially volunteers who had accompanied the relatives during their stay on the island.

The families of the deceased have been on the island for more than 10 days.

Chiang Pin-kung, chairman of the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation, also attended the ceremony.

Landslides that were triggered by heavy rains on October 21 on the island's eastern coastal Suao-Hualien Highway left the 20 mainland people dead.

The remains of one tourist, Gong Yan, were recovered in the sea off Ilan County on October 25, and DNA tests confirmed her identity last week. Her remains were cremated on Tuesday.

In accordance with the relevant laws, on Wednesday the prosecutor's office in Ilan issued death certificates for the 19 people who remained missing.

The relatives went to the collapsed sections of the highway yesterday morning to take a final look at the place where their loved ones were swept away.

Family members of the deceased are scheduled to leave Taiwan today, said Yao Ta-kuang, chairman of the island's Travel Agents Association.

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