Mother, Twin Daughters Swept Out To Sea: Typhoon Soudelor Death Toll Reaches 24

A mother and her twin daughters were swept out to sea amid a devastating typhoon — which injured hundreds and left at least 24 dead. Although Typhoon Soudelor eventually moved offshore, southeastern mainland China, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Taiwan experienced extensive damage.

As reported by CNN, Typhoon Soudelor made landfall in Hualien, Taiwan, late Friday evening. On Saturday evening, the violent storm reached China’s Fuijan Providence.

With maximum sustained winds of 180 miles per hour, the powerful storm was classified as a super typhoon. Although it was downgraded before reaching the shore, the typhoon destroyed homes, triggered landslides, and caused hundreds of injuries.

Although nearly 200,000 residents were evacuated, an estimated 3.1 million experienced some form of damage or injury.

In Taipei, a mother and her daughters were swept out to sea amid the violent storm.

As reported by Focus Taiwan, an unnamed woman, her 8-year-old twin daughters, and another child, vanished near Neipi beach on Thursday afternoon. Authorities said the mother and children were likely caught in a swell, which was associated with the approaching storm.

Search and rescue teams found the unrelated child alive. However, the mother and one of her daughters were found dead. The other twin remains missing and is presumed to be dead.

Although it is unclear how the mother and her twin daughters were swept out to sea, the family may have ignored warnings about the approaching typhoon. Authorities said residents often have a “false sense of security… when playing in dangerous coastal areas in eastern Taiwan.”

In Tainan, a dashcam captured disturbing footage of a minivan being struck by a powerful tornado — which was spawned by Typhoon Soudelor. The video also contains footage of a woman being swept off the sidewalk amid the forceful winds.

Although the van was eventually found — hundreds of feet away — the condition of the passengers is unknown. As reported by The Washington Post, the woman who was swept off the sidewalk “reportedly suffered major injuries.”

Authorities confirmed Typhoon Soudelor was one of the most powerful and destructive in recent history. It is unclear how many people were killed or injured as many remain missing. However, there are hundreds of reported injuries and at least 24 confirmed deaths.

Officials said the devastating storm caused tens of millions of dollars of damage throughout China, the Mariana Islands, and Taiwan.

In addition to the mother and her twin daughters who were swept out to sea, many others were affected as they simply were unable to escape the approaching storm.

[Image via ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images]