Taipei: Five people have died, three remain missing, and 78 have been injured due to torrential downpours in Taiwan since July 28, as reported by the Central Emergency Operation Center (CEOC) on Monday.

According to Focus Taiwan, the most recent fatality was a woman from Chiayi County whose body was discovered in a creek in Alishan Township. The search for her was temporarily halted due to high water levels but resumed the following day, leading to the discovery of her body. This incident marks the fifth death linked to the heavy rainfall since July 28.

The CEOC also detailed the other fatalities, which include a woman found in the waters off Kaohsiung and a 57-year-old man who drowned on July 31 in Nantou County. The first reported deaths involved two individuals from a family of five whose vehicle plunged into a ravine on July 30 amid adverse weather conditions. Rescue operations are ongoing for the missing passengers from the vehicle.

In addition to the fatalities, 78 individuals across Taiwan have been injured due to the severe weather, with three people currently trapped by floods awaiting rescue efforts. The Central Weather Administration recorded significant rainfall, with Kaohsiung’s Maolin District receiving 2,922 millimeters and Wutai Township in Pingtung County recording 2,364 millimeters of rain.

The heavy rains have also led to power outages affecting 50,671 households. As of 5 p.m. on Monday, Taiwan Power Co. was working to restore electricity to 303 remaining affected households. The Ministry of Agriculture has reported agricultural losses totaling NT$260.19 million (US$8.73 million), with significant impacts on crops like persimmons and dates.

In response to the disaster, cash handouts and low-interest loans are being made available to eligible farmers. During a visit to Kaohsiung, Premier Cho Jung-tai announced plans for a special bill allocating more than NT$30 billion for reconstruction efforts following the recent downpours and the earlier impact of Typhoon Danas in early July.