Typhoon Fung Wong, the eighth tropical storm to hit China's coast this year, made landfall in the southeastern Fujian Province on Monday, according to the provincial observatory.

The eye of the powerful typhoon landed at Donghan Town of Fuqing City at 10 PM with winds of up to 119 kilometers per hour.

Though in the eye, Donghan Town saw no rainstorm or strong wind. "Heavy rains and winds are expected after the eye leaves the town," an official with the flood control office of Fuqing City said.

Boats bump on waves along the coast of Changle, Fuzhou City, capital of southeast China's Fujian Province, July 27, 2008. Typhoon Fung Wong, which was lashing Taiwan on Monday morning, continued to strengthen as it headed toward the southeastern coast of mainland China, according to the observatory of Fujian Province. 

Before the typhoon landed, Fuqing had seen torrential rain with 205 millimeters falling from midnight to 8 p.m. on Monday.

In Puxia County, the power was cut off as 15 electricity transmission lines and 498 transformer stations were damaged. But no casualties were reported.

The typhoon is also likely to bring more heavy rains and strong winds in coastal areas of the province early on Tuesday. The rainfall could exceed 200 millimeters, the meteorologists forecast.

Offshore, winds could increase to force 12, while in the coastal cities, force 7 to 9 winds were expected, according to the latest forecast of the provincial meteorological station.

Torrential rains were forecast to hit the cities of Ningde, Putian and Quanzhou as well as the provincial capital Fuzhou.

Typhoon Fung Wong lashed Taiwan on Monday morning, affecting the whole island with wind and rain, just a week after tropical storm Kalmaegi killed 19 people and left six others missing on the island.

Fung Wong will be the strongest tropical storm so far this year, and will strike along China's eastern and southern regions with heavy rain and strong winds, according to observatories in Fujian, Guangdong, Zhejiang and Jiangxi provinces.

The authority of the eastern Zhejiang Province has issued an alert on geological hazards in Wenzhou, Lishui and Taizhou cities from Monday midnight till Tuesday.

Under the typhoon's influence, heavy rain will continue till Wednesday in the province.

Zhejiang has evacuated 338,573 people and called back 27,656 fishing boats by late Monday, according to the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters.

A man fixes a fishing boat before Typhoon Fung Wong makes landfall in Putian City, Fujian Province, July 28.  

(Xinhua News Agency July 29, 2008)