Typhoon Chanchu has killed 11 people and left 4 others missing in China by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, latest government statistics show.

Meanwhile, more than one million people have been evacuated as Chanchu swept through southern Guangdong Province and southeastern Fujian Province Thursday, according to the statistics released by the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters and the MInistry of Civil Affairs.


Chanchu landed at 2:15 a.m. in Shantou and Chaozhou cities and brought gale-force winds and rainstorms to the southern coastal areas in China.

Residents of Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, are not deterred by the huge waves Wednesday, May 17, 2006. [Xinhua]

Mudslides triggered by downpours along with the typhoon in Shantou collapsed some houses, killing eight people, including two children, and another two elder people were injured, local government sources said on Thursday.

A total of 192 houses in north Shantou were flooded and 2,985 families with 6,400 people were stranded at around 1 a.m. Thursday.

Government officials and 500 soldiers have been working to evacuate the stranded residents by press time.

The typhoon flooded almost all roads in Shantou City and had caused blackout on several occasions since Wednesday morning.

All schools and kindergartens in the city were closed on Thursday. 

More than 1.042 million people have been evacuated from China's southern provinces of Guangdong and Fujian as well as Zhejiang Province before the landing of Typhoon Chanchu.

It was clear after day break Thursday in Shantou. Air, sea and land traffic have resumed normal. All the primary and middle school in Shantou will resume classes Thursday afternoon after they were ordered to close on Thursday morning to prevent casualties. kindergartens will reopen on Friday.

Chanchu, which means "pearl," formed in the Pacific, about 550 km east of Mindanao island in the Philippines on May 9. It hit central Philippines on Saturday, killing at least 32 people and leaving more than 1,000 others homeless.

The typhoon continues to move northward along the coastal areas of east China's Fujian Province, local meteorological sources said.

Affected by Chanchu, Xiamen, Zhangzhou and other coastal cities in southern Fujian were hit by rainstorms Wednesday, with rainfall ranging from 50 mm to 555 mm, according to the latest statistics from the Fujian provincial flood prevention office.

The rainfall has led to flooding in a number of rivers in the province. However, there is no immediate reports of casualties or damages at present, according to the office.

By Wednesday evening, 578,000 people have been safely relocated in Fujian, and evacuation continues in areas likely to be affected by the typhoon.

The typhoon continues to move northward with a speed of 20 km or 25 km per hour along the coastal areas of Fujian, the Fujian Provincial Meteorological Bureau said.

Chanchu, which means "pearl", formed in the Pacific, about 550 km east of Mindanao island in the Philippines on May 9. It hit central Philippines on Saturday, killing at least 32 people and leaving more than 1,000 others homeless.