Taipei Tibet Office organizes a prayer ceremony for Typhoon victims

Taipei: After seven days of natural disasters__"Typhoon" hit Taiwan that causing many lives, the Tibet Office "Tibet Religious Foundation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama" in Taipei this morning has organized a special prayer ceremony for the victims of Typhoon, those who lost their lives and those who still missing. The ceremony led by Tibetan monks including former abbot of Sera Jay monastery. Many Taiwanese Buddhist followers and all staff members of The Tibet Religious Foundation have attended the ceremony.

"The Tibet Religious Foundation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama based in Taipei has called Tibetans and Taiwanese Buddhist followers in Taiwan to hold a prayer ceremony for the Taiwanese who lost their lives in tragedy of natural disaster including Typhoon, and landslides," Keary Huan, Taipei correspondent for The Tibet Post (TPI) said.

"We are deeply saddened to learn the very tragedy of situations from the media, Taiwanese friends and even their relatives after the natural disaster Typhoon hit Taiwan, particularly villages in southern Taiwan, causing lives of so many people. The reports told the real stories of tragedy, as fear, and pain in their hearts. Taiwan people not only suffered wind and rain mercilessly destroyed, also face a great hit, even the number of livestock faced the flood of terror and loss of life in the disaster, and we can not bear to share the pain," Mr. Sodor, the secretary of the Tibet Office in Taipei told TPI.

"Typhoon has mainly hit southern Taiwan, causing many lives as many were buried under mud and rocks. Particularly Liouguei Township, and Shiao Lin village Kaohsiung County covered with what rescuers say may be five stories of mud. The news has been officially confirmed that 398 people were buried alive," said Keary.

"After six days of anxious waiting by families, they have borrowed four-wheel vehicles to the front of breaking bridge that was the only way back to their village. As when they seen their dilapidated homes, their only expectation; deaths of their loved ones, can not help themselves but at-least can cry even fainting. Shiao Lin village, today confirmed that 400 villagers were buried alive after the "first seven day" passed, they decided to hold a prayer ceremony in front of Chiahsien village offices where their loved ones were buried," she continued.

The residents said more people than usual in the village when the storm hit last weekend because Saturday was Taiwanese Father's day. So many people on that day returned to their home villages to celebrate the occasion with families.

People in Shiao Lin are also scene at the disaster yesterday, Chinese and Siraya (Taiwan native) have performed traditional way for the tragedy deaths of their loved ones and presented scent, betel nuts and cigarettes, hoping their loved ones can rest in peace at an early date.

"The questions after the natural disaster are; where should the villagers go, what is their next steps and how will they live?" No one knows the answer. Shiao Lin now completely buried by muds and rocks, The 137 people have took an initiative to contact with the central government, finally more than 200 villagers from Shiao Lin have been moved to a safe place and total of 571 people from Shiao Lin are now safe."

Since last week, over 116 people died under the disasters, 59 missing, 45 injured, thousands stranded, and 398 buried.