Taiwan on Friday sent helicopters to rescue some 400 tourists stranded on a mountain highway following a landslide caused by Typhoon Megi.
According to the Tourism Bureau, the tourists - including 230 Chinese tourists on 12 coaches - have been stranded along the Suhua Highway on Taiwan's east coast since Thursday afternoon, DPA reported.
Several sections of the highway caved in or were buried by fallen rocks.
One coach, carrying 19 Chinese tourists and a Taiwan driver and guide, was reported missing.
"We have been trying to contact them since 4 pm yesterday, but the calls were not returned. We have asked the Chinese travel agency to ask the tourists' relatives to call them on cell phones," said Wu Chao-ping the manager of the group's travel agency.
Another coach carrying 21 Chinese tourists was hit by a large boulder, but the tourists escaped by smashing the windows, although the driver and the tour leader remain trapped, the Tourism Bureau said.
Rescue efforts were hampered by bad weather as rain continued to fall on most parts of Taiwan, brought by Megi which is heading towards China after slamming the Philippines.
"We must rush food, clothing and raincoats to those stranded on the Suhua Highway. If necessary, the military will send special forces," President Ma Ying-jeou said.
Megi, while moving from the Philippines toward southern China, shifted northward on Thursday, affecting Taiwan.