(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-09-20 10:26

A disaster relief workgroup led by Dou Yupei, Vice Minister of Civil Affairs, is visiting typhoon stricken areas in East China to direct the disaster relief work.

The group consists of officials from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Land and Resources, the Ministry of Communications, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Health, and the People's Liberation Army General Staff Headquarters.

According to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Wipha destroyed 669 houses and disrupted power supplies to 109 towns and villages, while 1.64 million people were relocated and 4.99 million affected, by 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday.

Fujian province has relocated 250,000 people away from coastal areas, and Shanghai has relocated 290,000 people.

Since landing in east China's Zhejiang province at 2:30 a.m., "Wipha" has weakened to typhoon, heading northwest at 20 kilometers per hour.