Typhoon ravages Taiwan coast, more than 100 killed

Four Adventist Church members are feared dead and two pastors are missing after Typhoon Morakot hit the coast of Taiwan a little over a week ago. More than 100 Taiwanese are dead and 10,000-plus homes destroyed in post-typhoon flooding. [photo: courtesy Taiwan Conference]

Several Seventh-day Adventists are likely included in the death toll from Typhoon Morakot, a storm that hit northeastern Taiwan earlier this month, Adventist church leaders in Taiwan said.

Four church members are thought to be dead and two pastors have been missing for five days, initial church reports stated.

The typhoon reportedly killed hundreds of Taiwanese and destroyed over 10,000 homes after making landfall, with torrential rains and flooding causing more destruction early in the following week.

The majority of Adventists affected by the typhoon are farmers who will suffer from the loss of their crops, said Raymond Ko, president for the Adventist Church in Taiwan.

"We estimate that those affected by the typhoon would need up to one year for their lives to resume to normal," Ko said.

Ko also said the conference could also suffer from decreased tithing returns in the coming year.