WAILUKU >> Maui County officials are relieved to hear their mayor is safe in Taiwan, which was hit by a typhoon, after not hearing from him for several days.

County spokesman Rod Antone says officials back home got nervous when they heard about Typhoon Saola bearing down near Taiwan, where Mayor Alan Arakawa is visiting with a delegation of U.S. mayors. 

The county issued a news release Tuesday saying officials were trying to get in touch with Arakawa. 

Antone says while county officials haven’t been able to reach him directly, Arakawa’s daughter Jodi informed them her father called from Taiwan Wednesday night to say he and his wife are fine. 

Arakawa is expected to return to Maui on Saturday.