At least 14 people were killed when a decades-old lake barrier burst in Taiwan, a government official said Wednesday, after Super Typhoon Ragasa pounded the island with torrential rains.

Ragasa lashed the northern Philippines and Taiwan on Monday with heavy rain and strong winds, forcing thousands to evacuate.

The barrier lake in eastern Hualien county burst Tuesday, washing away a bridge and sweeping into a town.

“As of 7 am Wednesday (2300 GMT Tuesday), 14 people are confirmed dead and 18 injured,” said Lee Kuan-ting, a Hualien County Government press official.

Lee told AFP rescuers were also searching for 30 people reported missing in the area.

The National Fire Agency later updated the number of missing people to 124.

Hualien fire officials said flood water temporarily rose as hi

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