700,000 Evacuated as Typhoon Kaemi Strikes China

Typhoon Kaemi struck the southeast coast of China, sparking the evacuation of more than 700,000 people in an area still reeling from a tropical storm that claimed over 600 lives. The typhoon -- which first passed over Taiwan, causing widespread disruption to daily life but not enormous damage -- struck mainland's Fujian province at 3:50 pm (0750 GMT), the Xinhua news agency said. State television showed footage of torrential rains lashing Fuzhou, a major city in Fujian, as workers struggled to fasten power cables and make other preparations for the onslaught of the typhoon. With the storm packing winds of up to 120 kilometers (74 miles) per hour as it approached, more than 643,000 people were evacuated from Fujian, Xinhua said, while another 80,000 were moved from their homes in neighboring Zhejiang province. A total of 435,000 people were evacuated in Fujian, including those working in fish farms on the sea, other fishermen and residents in low-lying areas, Xinhua news agency said. About 44,000 fishing boats were ordered to return to harbor by Tuesday, while flights from Xiamen city have been postponed or cancelled. Around 3,000 armed police equipped with speedboats were also deployed to conduct rescue and relief operations if necessary, Xinhua said. Local authorities were advised to monitor the safety of people living in makeshift shelters at coal mines and in mountainous areas and to boost patrols along reservoirs and dams in preparation for flooding. So far, Fujian province has prepared 12,000 tents, 50,000 quilts, 80,000 items of clothing and a five-day supply of food for 300,000 people, Xinhua said. Fujian was still trying to cope with the impact of Bilis, which struck mainland China on July 14, killing at least 43 people in the province. Zhejiang, which did not suffer too badly from Bilis, was preparing for a much tougher time with Kaemi, Xinhua said. Neighboring Guangdong province to the south, where 106 people were killed in Bilis, was also making preparations for strong winds and heavy rain, even though it was not expected to be directly hit by Kaemi. Kaemi, which means "ant" in Korean, pounded Taiwan with strong winds and heavy rain after making landfall there late Monday, leaving four people slightly injured when the bus they were in was hit by falling rocks. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2006-07/26/content_649920.htm