Typhoon Kai-Tak wreaks havoc in S. China

NANNING - More than 700 villagers in Qinzhou, a city in South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, have been trapped in their homes by typhoon-triggered flooding, the local government said Saturday.

Typhoon Kai-Tak, the 13th tropical storm of the year, made landfall in the coastal area of Guangdong province at noon on Friday. The typhoon was expected to make its second landfall in Guangxi on Friday evening or Saturday morning, but has yet to do so.

In Qinzhou, heavy rains have swept the city since Thursday, inundating three villages in Dazhi township, Qinbei district.

The local government has sent rescue boats and relief materials to the trapped villagers.

Kai-Tak also affected more than 60,000 residents in the city of Fangchenggang, and over 8,700 people have been moved to safety.

According to the statistics from the flood control and drought relief bureau of Fangchenggang, as of 7 am Saturday, average precipitation had reached 206 millimeters, while the highest recorded precipitation hit 477 millimeters.

Meanwhile, two people remained missing after falling into a river in Shangsi county on Friday evening, according to the bureau.

More than 300 police officers and firefighters have been organized and dispatched to carry out relief efforts across the city, the bureau said.

Sources from Nanning Railway Bureau said about eight railway lines have been affected by torrential rain and gales brought by Kai-Tak since Thursday, and the railways linking Hechun and Maoming, and Zhanjiang were closed on Friday.