Hong Yuhong, a preacher from the Jiamu tribe, said nearly 30 families' houses had been destroyed by the typhoon.

"There are about 130 people in our tribe, and 40 of them have been rescued," Hong said," I hope tomorrow's weather will be better so the helicopters can rescue all of them."

At 5 P.M, Wednesday, helicopters had made more than 20 flights on rescue missions.

By 3 p.m. Thursday, typhoon Morakot had claimed 108 lives and injured 45, with 58 people missing, local disaster-relief authorities said.

Helping hands

On Wednesday, member companies of the mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) donated more than 100 million yuan (14.6 million US dollars) and 5 million HK dollars (645,000 U.S. dollars) for the Chinese Taiwan island's typhoon relief. The Red Cross Society of the mainland also offered 15 million yuan (2.2 million US dollars) to the island's Red Cross organization. [Xinhua]

In the wake of the disaster, mainland people from a wide range of social sectors have donated cash and goods worth millions of New Taiwan Dollars to support disaster-relief work.

On Wednesday, 18 member companies of the mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) collected more than 100 million yuan (14.6 million U.S. dollars) and 5 million HK dollars (645,000 US dollars) in donations from Beijing residents and companies.

Wan Feng, president of China Life Insurance Company Ltd., said as the donations were being made: "We hope we can do something to help Taiwan compatriots rebuild their homes." The company has donated 10 million yuan for relief.

Li Lihui, the president of Bank of China, said "the disaster relief work in Taiwan is of great concern to mainland people and we should work together to alleviate the situation".

The Red Cross Society on the mainland offered 15 million yuan (2.2 million US dollars) to its Taiwan sister organization on Wednesday.

(Xinhua News Agency August 14, 2009)