India, Sept. 24 -- At least 14 people have died in eastern Taiwan's Hualien county after a barrier lake overflowed, sending a wall of water into a township, as Typhoon Ragasa hit the region.

The disaster began on Tuesday afternoon when the lake, created by landslides after days of heavy rain, burst its banks and flooded Guangfu township.

Government figures show that about 60 per cent of the town's 8,500 residents stayed in the upper floors of their homes in a "vertical evacuation." Most of the others left the area to stay with relatives.

The lake contained nearly 91 million tonnes of water, equal to 36,000 Olympic-sized pools, and about 60 million tonnes surged out when it overflowed, Reuters reported, citing officials.

Taiwan's fire ...