Rescue teams in Taiwan on Friday pushed through heavy mud as they searched for 11 people still unaccounted for, after Super Typhoon Ragasa unleashed a surge of water earlier this week that swept through a small town on the island’s east coast.

The flooding’s death toll held steady at 14.

The heavy rains in Hualien county caused a so-called barrier lake in the mountains to overflow on Tuesday and release a thick sludge of water and mud on the town of Guangfu.

While the flood waters have receded, the dark grey mud continues to blanket large parts of the area, creating problems for residents and rescuers alike.

Rescue workers, sometimes wading in mud up to their waists, have been cutting holes in the roofs of buildings to check for missing people.

A man who gave his family name as Hw

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