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Typhoon Fitow hits E China

( chinadaily.com.cn )

Updated: 2013-10-12

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Typhoon Fitow affected more than 6.3 million people in East China's Zhejiang and Fujian provinces, a Xinhua report cited the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters as saying on Oct 6.

The 23rd typhoon to hit China this year landed in Shacheng Township of Fuding city at 1:15 am on Oct 7, packing winds of up to 151 km per hour.

By the evening, Fitow had left six dead and four missing in Zhejiang. In addition, about 4,000 houses were toppled, 617 roads were damaged and 937 power outages occurred, leading to a direct economic loss of 8.4 billion yuan ($1.37 billion), according to figures from local government departments.

In Fujian, about 176,900 people had been evacuated as of 10 am Monday. The direct economic loss was estimated at 19.06 billion yuan – but the local flood control office did not report any loss of life in Fujian.

About 56 bullet train trips and 20 flights were cancelled in the province.

The typhoon had a limited impact on Pingtan, an island county off the eastern coast of Fujian, as no heavy precipitation was recorded and the strongest gales only reached force 9 (between 20 to 25 meters per second).

The headquarters adjusted the emergency level from level two down to level three, but said that authorities should remain alert and continue their prevention efforts as Typhoon Fitow, along with the approaching Typhoon Danas, would continue to haunt the provinces as more rainstorms were forecast.

Edited by Chen Zhilin and Niva Whyman