Typhoon-triggered rainstorm ravages E. China

  August 7, 2012

Typhoons Damrey and Saola tore through China's eastern coastal regions over the weekend, leaving 23 dead, 9 missing and hundreds trapped so far, local authorities said Monday.

As of 5 p.m. Monday, 14 people had been confirmed dead and five remained missing due to heavy rain in 14 counties and districts in central China's Hubei province, which was hit by Saola.

People in Xiuyan City, Liaoning province, are evacuated after flood hit their village over the weekend.

Rainstorms and rain-triggered mudslides have destroyed nearly 9,200 houses and damaged at least 15,000 others. Over 135,000 local residents have been forced to relocate or are in grave need of daily necessities.

Severe rainfall also added to flood-control pressure on reservoirs in Danjiangkou, a water resource zone for the country's massive south-to-north water diversion project.

At 8 p.m., the National Commission for Disaster Reduction and the Ministry of Civil Affairs initiated a level-four emergency response plan for the affected areas and sent teams to assist with relief work.

Provincial authorities of northeast China's Liaoning province said on Monday morning that at least nine people have died due to typhoon Damrey and another four remained missing.

In the city of Xiuyan, where six of the deaths occurred, the typhoon cut off electricity, paralyzed road traffic and damaged drinking water facilities. More than 110,000 people there have been affected.

In the city of Benxi, more than 400 workers were trapped in a railway tunnel that was flooded by torrential rains on Saturday morning. Rescue operation is still ongoing.

http://www.china.org.cn/china/2012-08/07/content_26150442.htm