CHINA / National
134 killed by Saomai, 163 missing
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-08-13 21:12
FUDING, Fujian Province -- Twenty people who were listed as missing have
now been confirmed dead after Typhoon Saomai hit Fuding city of east
China's Fujian Province. The confirmed death toll from the killer typhoon
reached 134 on Sunday.
The streets of Lingxi town in Cangnan county, Zhejiang province, are
still submerged August 12, 2006 after Saomai, the strongest typhoon in 50
years, landed and brought heavy rains. [Xinhua]
At least 163 others are still missing after Saomai, the strongest typhoon
in China in half a century and now a tropical depression, lashed eastern
provinces including Fujian, Zhejiang and Jiangxi.
Fuding was the worst hit in Fujian Province, with 41 people dead. Houses
have been flattened or damaged and many trees have been uprooted.
Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu went to Zhejiang and Fujian provinces on
Saturday and Sunday to inspect the rescue work and visit people who were
traumatized by the disaster.
Hui said the search for the missing must continue and condolence of the
victims' families must be conducted properly.
As of Saturday night, Fuding city reported 1,350 injured in the typhoon,
and suffered economic losses valued at 2.5 billion yuan (312.5 million
U.S. dollars), said Zhao Fangli, deputy head of the general office of the
Fuding City Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.
"Almost the entire village was flattened," said a villager from Baisheng
Village which was home to more than 300 households.
Shacheng Township of Fuding city lost more than 1,000 fishing boats to
Saomai, which flattened half of the town's 8,000 households.
East China's Jiangxi Province reported two deaths from the typhoon as of
Saturday.
The provincial meteorological department said the rainfall in two
counties in Jiangxi was over 200 millimeters from Thursday to Friday and
in 11 counties it rained more than 100 millimeters.
The provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters said
altogether 980,000 people from the cities of Fuzhou, Nanchang, Yichun and
Shangrao were affected by the downpour-triggered disasters.
Saomai destroyed six small reservoirs in Jiangxi and has cost the
province 348 million yuan (about 43.5 million U.S. dollars) in economic
losses.
Six people in Lishui City in east China's Zhejiang Province were killed
in a landslide that was triggered by torrential rain, said Xiao
Jianzhong, vice mayor of Lishui.
Eighty-one people are dead and 11 are reported missing in Wenzhou, a
booming port city of more than 1 million people which received the brunt
of the typhoon.
At least 2.1 million people have been affected and 18,000 houses
destroyed in Zhejiang. The downpour has swamped 56 provincial roads and
national highways.
In Zhejiang, the typhoon caused losses of 4.89 billion yuan (611 million
U.S. dollars). The number of people left homeless has not yet been
estimated.
Saomai, the eighth typhoon in China this year, slammed into Cangnan
County of Wenzhou City at 5:25 p.m. Thursday. It was downgraded to a
tropical depression by 11 a.m. Friday.
Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours
Today's Top News
� UN: Hezbollah and Israel agree on Monday cease-fire
� Saomai toll rises to 114, 183 missing
� Provinces urged to cool down economy
� Li confirms daughter's harelip surgery
� Japan's Shinzo Abe will run for PM
Top China News
� Provinces urged to cool down economy
� China continues to have "enormous impact" on world economy
� China controls 9-km oil slick along river
� China to ban foreign cartoons in "golden hours"
� Typhoon Saomai kills 105; 190 missing
Alibaba is the largest B2B marketplace in the world. Source model ship,
wooden puzzle, one-piece toilet, RC hovercraft, photo album, prom dress,
pocket bike, Vaginal Speculum, Samurai Sword, String Panty and PVC Pipe.
Learn Chinese, Chinese Online Class
No comments:
Post a Comment