MOFA deputy spokesman James Chang said at a regular press briefing that both Japan and the United States have expressed deep condolences for the typhoon victims and their families and offered to help through all kinds of channels.

The Taipei-based American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and the U.S.

State Department contacted the foreign ministry and its representative office in Washington, respectively, to express concern over the situation, according to Chang.

In addition, the governments of France, Hungary and the Holy See, Taiwan's only diplomatic ally in Europe, and a German parliamentary group friendly to Taiwan also sent their condolences to the victims and their families, he added.

El Salvador Ambassador Francisco Ricardo Santana, who is the acting head of the diplomatic corps in Taiwan, also sent a letter on behalf of Taiwan's allies to Foreign Minister Francisco H.L. Ou that same day to express condolences for the storm victims, Chang said.

The deputy spokesman said the Foreign Ministry appreciated the U.S. and Japan's offers to help but indicated that Taiwan would not request foreign assistance at present because there are sufficient recourses and the disaster relief mechanism is working well.

“The MOFA will serve as a channel between the Central Disaster Emergency Operation Center and the international community to communicate and coordinate information and related relief needs, and will make an immediate request if foreign aid is needed,”Chang said.

Typhoon Morakot hovered over Taiwan Aug. 7-8, lashing parts of the country with massive amounts of rain. It dumped a record 2,500mm of precipitation in Taiwan's southernmost county of Pingtung, causing severe flooding in at least three coastal townships.

As of 10: 30 a.m. Tuesday, the flooding there and elsewhere and widespread landslides had left 41 people dead, 35 injured and 60 unaccounted for islandwide.

Peter Tsai, secretary-general of the MOFA's Association of East Asian Relations, told the Central News Agency a day earlier that Naohiro Tsutsumi, director-general of the Taipei Office of the Interchange Association -- the de facto Japanese embassy in Taiwan in the absence of diplomatic relations -- called him Aug. 8 on behalf of the Japanese government to express the country's condolences and offered help if necessary.

The Foreign Ministry also received a letter from Japan's representative to Taiwan, Masaki Saito, who expressed concerns about the serious flooding in southern part of Taiwan, Tsai said.

He added that Tetsuya Hirose, secretary-general of the Japan-based Asia-Pacific Parliamentarians’Union, which opened its 40th annual conference in Taipei Aug. 11, also expressed his best wishes to storm victims.

AIT Press Officer Christopher Kavanagh told CNA Tuesday that the U.S. is looking at what kind of assistance it could provide.

“We are concerned about the situation. On behalf of the American people, we would like to convey our deepest sympathy for the victims and their families. The U.S. is ready to provide assistance, ” Kavanagh said.

(By Rachel Chan)