Ningde -- It has passed ten months since Typhoon Saomai swept Fujian's northeast coast. For residents living in a village called Boyang which was one of the worst-hit areas, Saomei was a memory of nightmare. Ten months later, they are recovering from the disaster.

Houses are provided free for elderly or disabled people in Boyang, a typhoon-stricken village in northeast of Fujian. [Jiang Wei/chinadaily.com.cn]

"All the villagers whose houses collapsed last August when Saomai hit have moved into a new house before January 10," According to Wang Zhouqi, Secretary of Village Branch of CPC in Boyang. Nearly one hundred houses collapsed or were heavily destroyed by Saomai in this small village.

Wu shilan, a 68 years old man is sitting outside of a two-floor buliding, chating with other people. "Saomai is the severest typhoon I have seen in my life." His only house was wiped off when Saomai hit.

Villagers have moved into the new houses before this year's Spring Festival . [Jiang Wei/chinadaily.com.cn]

Being single in his life, he has no children or grandchildren who could support him. Losing house meant losing everything for him. "I moved into this new house three months later. Without government's help, I would have nowhere to stay." Now he is living in a large and bright room which is free of charge.

There are 25 other elderly or disabled people living in the same apartment. For those who are poor and cannot support themselves, Boyang village provides them with free house.

Typhoon Saomai, the most powerful typhoon to hit China in five decades, raged across the
southeastern coast on August 10. It has claimed at least 248 lives in Fujian as it capsized ships, destroyed houses and forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate.