Heavy Toll of Marine Disasters in China Last YearMore than 700 people were killed or still missing during last year's disastrous tidal storms, tidal waves and red tides in Chinese waters, a government official said Thursday in Beijing.In an evaluation report on marine disasters in 1999, Wang Fei, director of the Marine Environmental Protection Department of the State Oceanic Administration, said tidal storms in 1999 caused a total of 600 million US dollars in direct economic losses and sank 65 ships. Two killer ocean surges were reported last year, including one with 93 people killed or missing in Fujian Province, east China. During the ocean surge that hit Fujian on October 9 last year, 2,995 boats were damaged, and a total of 480 million US dollars in direct economic losses was reported. The marine farming industry in the province also dealt a heavy blow. A June 6 ocean surge off the coast of Guangdong Province, south China, caused huge tides of up to six meters high, resulting in widespread destruction to marine farming and fishing industries. Six boats were sunk, 120 damaged and a total of 96 million US dollars in direct economic loss was reported. The biggest fatal marine incident was the sinking of the Dashun passenger-cargo ship on November 24, 1999, which left 280 people dead or missing off the coast of Shandong Province, east China. |
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