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At Least Four Killed as Typhoon Prapiroon Brushes Past China
Typhoon Prapiroon caused at least four deaths as it brushed by China's east coast, despite massive efforts to minimize the damage, local media reported on Thursday.
Four women, who were on their way home after catching clams in eastern Zhejiang province's Cangnan county, were swept into the sea and drowned on Wednesday.
A small cargo boat got caught in the typhoon off the city of Jiaxing, also in Zhejiang, and sank to the bottom of the sea, while its crew of three was rescued, according to the Shanghai Daily.
Prapiroon - Thai for "God of Rain" - also hit Shanghai on Wednesday, causing a heavy downpour and strong winds, although preliminary reports suggested no casualties had been sustained in China's largest city.
By noon Thursday, the typhoon had left Shanghai, heading north towards the Yellow Sea, but media warned showers would continue in the city into the weekend.
Local officials had ordered comprehensive measures to prevent loss of life and material damage prior by the arrival of the typhoon.
Seven thousand residents of Zhoushan city, on an island off the Zhejiang coast, were evacuated, and more than 10,000 fishing boats were kept docked in Zhoushan harbor.
Prapiroon is the third typhoon to smash into the Shanghai area so far this season.
Typhoon Bilis, which swept across large parts of eastern and southern China earlier this month, left at least 19 people dead.
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