5 die as Fitow slams into China's southeast coast
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail Xinhua, October 8, 2013
Typhoon Fitow slammed into southeastern China yesterday with powerful winds and heavy rains that killed at least five people, cut power, canceled flights and suspended high-speed train services.
 |
|
A car is hit by a fallen tree in Ruian City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Oct. 7, 2013. |
Fitow struck Fuding City in Fujian Province with winds of up to 151 kilometers an hour in the early hours of yesterday, then slowed before weakening to a tropical storm, the National Meteorological Center said.
More than 750,000 people were evacuated and fishing boats called back to port after authorities issued a red alert — the highest warning — on Sunday as the typhoon approached.
The provincial flood relief agency in Zhejiang Province, which neighbors Fujian, said 574,000 people had been evacuated by Sunday evening and 35,800 vessels had returned to shore to take shelter.
About 100,000 visitors to Zhejiang had been evacuated as of yesterday, according to the provincial tourism bureau.
Some tourist attractions in Wenzhou, Taizhou, Ningbo and Zhoushan have been closed.
Fujian's government said 177,000 people had been moved to safety and nearly 30,000 fishing boats called back to port.
Two people were killed in Zhejiang's Wenzhou, including a 55-year-old man who was blown off a hill while heading out to help rescue a stranded fisherman.
Ni Wenlin, from Wenzhou's Dongtou County, was with five others on the way to rescue a fisherman from a nearby port, the city's flood control headquarters said.
Chen Wanjie, from Cangnan County in Wenzhou, died when his duck breeding factory collapsed and buried him.
Three other people from Ruian City in Zhejiang died after being electrocuted.
Four other people were reported missing in the province.
Two port workers were reported missing on Sunday evening and another two fishermen were said to be missing after they sailed out on Saturday afternoon.
The typhoon cut power in towns and counties in Zhejiang while high-speed rail services in the region were suspended.
The typhoon caused the suspension of at least 59 bullet trains in the province, including services between Ningbo and Xiamen.
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)