Typhoon collapses bridge in Taiwan

In eastern Taiwan, several people have been injured in the collapse of a bridge. An oil tanker, which crossed the approximately 20-year-old building, crashed, according to the fire department shortly before reaching the other side to the ground. The day before, the typhoon "Mitag" had hit the Pacific island with heavy gusts and rains and had left damage in many places.

Also affected was the Yilan County with the bridge in the fishing port of Nanfangao. Whether the tropical cyclone triggered the collapse, according to the authorities is still unclear. The driver of the truck had been rescued from the burning vehicle and taken to the hospital with serious injuries, said the authority. Ten people were also rescued from the water.

Several fishing boats were damaged, at least five inmates are missing. There are no reports of deaths so far. According to eyewitnesses, the bridge had suddenly collapsed - "like a free-falling object," a local resident told SET TV. At the time of the bridge collapse, the tropical cyclone had already left, the weather had been sunny.

Since "Mitag" Taiwan arrived on Monday, at least twelve inhabitants of the island nation have been injured - according to the civil protection authority mostly by falling objects or because they had fallen because of violent gusts of their scooters.

The electricity was lost in more than 65,000 households. Almost 5,000 inhabitants in flood-prone areas of the island had to temporarily leave their homes. According to Taiwan's weather service, "Mitag" is gradually weakening and moving on to South Korea.