Hundreds of thousands of people
evacuated from eastern China after Typhoon Fitow made contact with the shore.
Winds were recorded at upwards of 151 km/h (93mph). The storm made landfall at 01:15 local time on Monday (17:15 GMT Sunday) in
the city of Fuding, China according to Chinese meteorologists. The area received
the highest alert status (red) by authorities. At first, the typhoon caused heavy
rains and widespread power cuts. Areas of China were hit with up to 8 inches of
rain, according to the AFP news agency. The Provincial Flood Control Office
issued a statement explaining that the typhoon had affected 3 million people in
Zhejiang while causing more than 300 million dollars worth of economic damage. According
to Xinhua, the state-run news agency, the Fujian Province evacuated over
177,000 people before the storm hit the coast, while more than 574,000 people
had to leave their homes. Additionally, Xinhua has confirmed at least two
people killed by the typhoon. State media also reported that 65,000 boats were
ordered to harbor for shelter in Zhejiang and Fujian, trains and coach services
were suspended in several cities, and dozens of flights were cancelled. The storm is now moving north-west and is expected to weaken quickly. Typhoon
Fitow is the 23rd tropical storm to hit China this year according to
Xinhua. Therefore China is used to dealing with
extreme weather events but, nonetheless, the risk remains high.
Image of Zhejing and Fujian Provinces that experienced the hardest blow of Typhoon Fitow.
Image of a storm surge in eastern China brought by Typhoon Fitow.
Image of the standstill boats that were order by Chinese authorities to take shelter from Typhoon Fitow.
Video of Typhoon Fitow along with media coverage of the affects of the storm.
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