Twenty mainland tourists are still missing after heavy rains brought by Typhoon Megi triggered landslides. The State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office says it appreciates the efforts made by Taiwan authorities to rescue the tourists.

Rescue work for the day has concluded, because of the dangers of carrying on in bad weather at night. The missing are 19 mainland tourists from Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province, and a tour group leader from Beijing. Their bus was enveloped by mud and rock on a section of the Suao-Hualien Highway on the island's east coast.

Authorities have also lost contact with two local tour guides and a local driver. The injured mainland tourists have been sent to hospitals in nearby Ilan county. Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou has also arrived in Ilan county to be briefed on the rescue operation.

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