At least 14 people have died and 124 remain missing in Taiwan after a decades-old barrier lake burst in Hualien County amid torrential rains brought by Super Typhoon Ragasa, officials said on Wednesday. The disaster has left towns in eastern Taiwan submerged in mud and debris, while the storm continues to batter southern China and Hong Kong.

The barrier lake, located in the mountainous region of Hualien, gave way on Tuesday, unleashing a torrent of water that destroyed a bridge and swept through the township of Guangfu. The waters rose within minutes, leaving streets coated in thick mud and debris.

The lake, estimated to contain 91 million tonnes of water, released approximately 60 million tonnes in the flood. Roughly 60 percent of Guangfu’s population, about 5,200 people, sought refuge

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