Typhoon Talim inflicts deadly damage
By Guo Nei (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-09-05 06:06

According to statistics, in Wenzhou and Lishui, a total of 2.22 million people in 18 counties have been affected. Meanwhile, 11,789 houses have been pulled down. The direct loss was put at 3.42 billion yuan (US$421.7 million), the local government said.

Xinhua said the tropical storm was weakened on Friday as it passed further inland into Jiangxi Province.

However, the destructive force was not reduced as parts of Jiujiang city, situated about 20 kilometres from Lushan Mountain, were flooded by the downpour.

At 10:00 pm on Friday, a mudslide triggered by the typhoon at the Lushan Mountain area buried two buildings, where 21 occupants were inside.

One was found dead by the time rescue crews reached him and five others were injured. The remaining 15 are still missing.

Respite could be brief, as following closely on Talim's heals, Typhoon Nabi is set to become the 14th tropical storm to hit this year. Nabi could bring strong winds and rainstorms to East China's Zhejiang Province today, according to a provincial meteorological station.

Moving northwest at a speed of 20 kilometres per hour, Typhoon Nabi was on Sunday packing force 12 gusts.

Zhejiang provincial headquarters for disaster control has called on local departments to make full preparations in order to keep damages caused by Nabi to a minimum.