Flooding feared as typhoons head for China

Eleven typhoons have formed in the Pacific and South China Sea so far this year, double the average for the period, and two are expected to make landfall in eastern and southern China over the next three days, the national meteorological authority has warned.

They will bring with them torrential rain and gales. The first, Typhoon Linfa, is set to reach the southern coastal stretch that includes parts of Guangdong and Fujian provinces on Thursday and will also affect Taiwan. It will bring heavy rain as it moves toward the southwest, Dong Lin, a typhoon expert at the China Central Meteorological Station, said on Wednesday.

Following closely behind is Typhoon Chan-hom, a more powerful storm system that is heading toward the eastern coastal areas of Zhejiang and Fujian and is expected to make landfall on Friday.