Taiwan rescuers battle thick mud to look for missing from Super Typhoon Ragasa

HUALIEN, Taiwan, Sept 26 (Reuters): Rescue workers in Taiwan battled through thick mud on Friday, looking for seven people still missing after Super Typhoon Ragasa this week sent a wall of water into a small town on the east coast.

The number killed in the flooding rose by one to 15, the fire department said.

Heavy rain in Hualien county caused a so-called barrier lake in the mountains to overflow on Tuesday, releasing a thick sludge of water and mud on the town of Guangfu.

While the flood waters have receded, large parts of the area remain covered in dark grey mud, creating problems for residents and rescuers alike.