The death toll from Typhoon Morakot in Taiwan could reach more than 500, Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou said Friday.

A man, sitting on a chair, moves past a destroyed bridge along cables slung by rescuers above a destroyed bridge in the village of Xinkai, Kaohsiung of Taiwan, August 12, 2009. The village was hit by debris flow caused by typhoon Morakot and casualties was estimated at at least 32. [CFP]

"More than 120 people have already reportedly been killed by Morakot, in addition to 380 more deaths in Kaohsiung's Hsiaolin village. The total death toll in Taiwan could top 500," Ma said Friday.

Rescuers search for survivors near a destroyed bridge on the road to Xinkai village in Kaohsiung of Taiwan, August 12, 2009. [Xinhua]

According to the island's disaster-relief authorities, Morakot, the strongest typhoon to hit the island in half a century, had killed at least 117 people by 10 a.m. Friday.

Another 59 people were still missing and 45 were injured, they said.

Property losses caused by the typhoon so far total 50 billion New Taiwan Dollars (about 1.5 billion U.S. dollars). More than 7,000 people have been left homeless.

Ma said Morakot was an even worse disaster than floods that killed more than 600 people in 1959, Ma urged the whole island to mobilize to contribute to disaster relief and reconstruction work in affected areas.

The mainland-based Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the Chinese mainland will send rescue and health care teams as well as relief supplies to the island.

The mainland has already donated several million yuan to Taiwan for disaster relief.