Typhoon Khanun kills at least 14 in Zhejiang
(chinadaily.com.cn/xinhua)
Updated: 2005-09-12 16:23

Typhoon Khanun, the strongest this year hitting China, has killed at least 14 people and left at least 8 missing in Zhejiang Province by Monday noon, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said.

Typhoon Khanun stirs up huge waves yesterday afternoon at Cheguan Dock in the Shitang Township of Wenling City, East China's Zhejiang Province. The typhoon made landfall at Jinqing Township in Zhejiang's Taizhou City at 2:50 pm yesterday. [Xinhua]

In the typhoon and torrential rains, more than 7,000 houses collapsed in the province. The ministry said it is gathering detailed information about the typhoon and damages it has caused.

Khanun has forced at least 1.051 million residents in Zhejiang to evacuate and 35,000 ships to seek shelter.

Khanun, the 15th this year, slammed into the province on Sunday. The total economic losses caused by the typhoon was estimated at 6.89 billion yuan (US$849 million), said officials of the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarter.

As of 6:00 a.m. Monday, typhoon Khanun battered four cities, 29 counties and 357 towns in the province, affecting 5.11 million people. Strong winds and rainstorms inflicted by the tropical storm flattened 7,468 houses, damaged many water conservancy facilities and cropland, according to the headquarters.

Khanun slammed into Taizhou City of Zhejiang Province at 14:50 p.m. Sunday, bringing strong wind and rainstorms to the province when it churned through.

Meteorologists described Khanun as the strongest typhoon that hit China this year, bringing force 12 gales in eight hours after it battered the Chinese mainland. Zhejiang reported a rainfall of over 400 mm recorded at three observation stations.

In Shanghai, more than 160,000 people were evacuated before the typhooon began to affect the city, bringing in heavy rains.

And in the neighboring Jiangsu Province, schools in Suzhou and Wuxi were closed Monday.

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