CISHAN, Taiwan (Reuters) - More than 700 people are trapped, possibly dead, in two southern Taiwan villages ravaged by mudslides after typhoon Morakot swamped the island, defense officials said on Tuesday.

Hu Jui-chou, an army major-general involved in rescue operations, said those trapped included people buried by a massive landslide in Hsiao Lin, a village of 1,000 in Kaohsiung county. Many were also trapped in a second village, Namahsia.

“Trapped means they could be dead or alive,” Hu said by telephone. “It very likely covers people buried in the Hsiao Lin mudslide.”