Taiwan is pressing for mass relocation to head off any new criticism after being under fire for its slow response to last month’s typhoon.

Taiwan’s premier quit in a shock announcement on Monday over the perceived slow or messy response to Typhoon Morakot, which killed up to 758 people.

Taiwan authorities will not attempt to recover the bodies of hundreds feared killed in a village by a mudslide, a local leader said on Monday.

Soldiers searched devastated areas on Monday as about 1 600 people waited to be airlifted to safety nine days after Typhoon Morakot hit Taiwan.

Pressure mounted on Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou on Thursday to speed up operations to rescue hundreds of residents stranded after typhoon Morakot.