(HE JUNCHANG)	A rescue ship and a helicopter carry out search operations along the Suao-Hualien Highway on October 25 (HE JUNCHANG)

Taiwan rescuers search for mainland tourists who have been missing since October 21, when their bus was hit by Typhoon Megi-triggered landslides on the Suao-Hualien Highway on the island's east coast.

One of the 20 missing mainlanders was confirmed dead on October 28. The mainland has called on Taiwan to make every effort in the search and rescue operations. More than 200 rescuers have been combing the land and waterways around the disaster site.

Cross-Straits tourism might suffer in the short term from the incident but would continue to develop in "a healthy and orderly manner" through better cooperation and improved safety measures, said Yang Yi, spokesman for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, on October 27.

Altogether, 247 of 269 mainland tourists in 13 tour groups stranded on the Suao-Hualien Highway when the typhoon hit have already returned to the mainland. Another two are being treated in Taiwan.