Typhoon Sanvu-inflicted rainstorms hit central and southern parts of east China's Fujian Province over the past two days, affecting 2.113 million people, according to the provincial office for flood control on Sunday.

Information from the office showed that nine counties of the province reported rainfalls of 50 mm to 99 mm, 17 counties and cities reported rainfalls of 100 mm to 199 mm, 14 counties and cities saw rainfalls of 200 mm to 300 mm and four counties and cities reported 300 mm to 400 mm rainfalls from 8 AM Saturday to 2 PM Sunday.

Five counties in the province reported rainfalls of over 400 mm, with the heaviest rainfall of 558 mm recorded in Pinghe County, according to the office.

As of 2 PM Sunday, rainstorms affected 2.113 million people and another 302,000 people were evacuated to safe places. Heavy rain damaged 61,500 hectares of crops and flattened 3,100 houses, causing an economic loss of 1.63 billion yuan (US$200 million), according to the office.

The provincial headquarters for flood control and drought relief has called on localities across the province to keep alert and get prepared for possible rainstorms yet to come.

Severe tropical storm Sanvu landed in the coastal areas of south China's Guangdong Province on Saturday noon, bringing rainstorms to areas it swept through, local observatory said.

Sanvu, the 10th tropical storm that visited China this year, slapped the Chenghai area in Shantou City at 12:45 with the maximum wind force of hurricane.

Sanvu moved northwestward at a speed of 25 kilometers per hour (kph). The center of the typhoon has a diameter of 60 kilometer.

Sanvu came on the heels of typhoon Matsa, which swept through China's eastern coastal areas last week, dumping torrential rains and causing enormous economic losses in the afflicted regions.

Typhoons gather strength from warm sea water and tend to dispel after making landfall. They frequently slam Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, Hong Kong and southern China during the typhoon season from early summer to late autumn.

Influenced by Sanvu, most parts of central China's Hunan Province will experience heavy rains from Sunday to Monday, according to local meteorological station. The heavy rains are expected to relieve drought in Hunan, which leads to 160,000 people in Chenzhou to have no drinking water alone.

But local people were also warned of floods that might occur following heavy rains.
 
(Xinhua News Agency August 15, 2005)