The construction of the Taiwan Pavilion for the Shanghai Expo started Monday despite the losses from Typhoon Morakot.

The breaking ground of the pavilion should be attributed to the care and support from all the relevant departments although Taiwan is suffering the worst flood in the past five decades, said Wang Chih-Kang, board chairman of Taipei World Trade Center.

The center received the invitation to build the pavilion only about three months ago. The construction started quickly thanks to the support from the expo organizers, departments in Taiwan and Taiwan-invested enterprises in the mainland, Wang said.

The pavilion is expected to cost 200 million yuan (29 million U.S.dollars) and to be finished in March next year.

The pavilion resembles the "sky lantern" or Kong Ming lantern. People fly the lanterns to pray for happiness, safety and health in Taiwan.

Morakot wreaked havoc across central and southern Taiwan. At least 126 people were killed and 61 others were still missing by 8 a.m. Monday, according to local disaster response authorities. Another 45 people were injured.

(Xinhua News Agency August 18, 2009)