Tibetans offer special prayers for victims of Typhoon MorakotMonday, 15 August 2009, 9:01 a.m.

Tibetans and Taiwanese take part in special prayer gathering at the Tibet Religious   Foundation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Taipei, on 15 August 2009

Dharamshala: The
Tibet Religious Foundation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Saturday
offered special prayers for the victims of Typhoon Morakot at the
Foundation’s prayer hall in Taipei.Typhoon Morakot – Taiwan’s worst weather disaster in 50 years – unleashed massive landslides and flooding that killed more than 500 people in southern and central Taiwan. More than 58 countries have offered aid to Taiwan in its relief operation, Taiwan’s foreign ministry said.The
devastating typhoon has reportedly killed more than 500 people and
caused huge property and agricultural damages in southern part of
Taiwan. The typhoon Morakot that hit Taiwan unleashed record rains
causing worse flooding in a half century. The
special prayer was started at 9:30 am by lighting the butter lamp by
Venerable Sera Jey Khesur Rinpoche and followed by other Tibetan monks.
The students of Foundation’s dharma class and many other Taiwanese
Buddhists joined the prayer gathering.The Foundation has also circulated a notice to all the Tibetan Dharma Centers in Taiwan to offer prayers for the victims of Typhoon Morakot.“At
this hour of disaster our prayers are with our Taiwanese brothers and
sisters and Taiwan will move forward from this natural disaster,” the
Tibet Religious Foundation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Taiwan
said in its statement.More pictures: