Support for Typhoon-ravaged Taiwan

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Disaster relief and reconstruction efforts are continuing in Taiwan this week with support from the mainland. The death toll of Typhoon Morakot has risen to 163, while over 500 people are still missing. The estimated losses in the agricultural sector now stands at about 430 million U.S. dollars.

After a brief opening ceremony, the assembly of 200 prefabricated houses has gotten underway in Kaohsiung County. About 600 families are slated to be relocated to the temporary homes.

A local resident of Kaohsiung County said, "This is very good. The traffic is convenient and the air is fresh. There is no pollution at all."

This is the second batch of donated houses to reach the island. Three mainland technicians also arrived early Sunday to provide assistance in assembling the shelters.

The first grouping of 100 prefabricated houses has been set up in Pingtung county and passed tests conducted by Taiwan's quality supervision authority. They arrived on Tuesday, along with a shipment of sleeping bags, blankets, and sterilizing machines.

A third set of 200 homes is currently en route to the island. All of the houses have been manufactured in compliance with Taiwan's design and safety standards.

So far, the Chinese mainland has donated more than 800 million yuan to the recovery effort. Island authorities have worked out a three-year reconstruction plan with a budget of 100 billion New Taiwan dollars.