Five Killed by Typhoon in Guangdong ProvinceThe tropical storm Maria, which landed in south China's Guangdong Province on September 1, has killed five people and caused economic losses of 700 million yuan (US$84.4 million).A fresh gale force wind was reported when the typhoon landed between Huizhou and Shanwei early last Friday morning. According to emergency disaster relief personnel, flash floods and torrential rains caused by the typhoon inundated farmland, collapsed houses and disrupted traffic in the area. The water level of the hydroelectric station in Qingyuan City was 12.25 meters high, 0.25 meters above the danger line. The typhoon also created rainstorms and strong winds in the eastern and northern parts of Guangdong and the Pearl River Delta. The Guangdong provincial government has issued a state of emergency, urging all related cities and counties to take preventive measures and to closely watch major rivers and reservoirs. In the worst affected area of Shaoguan City in north Guangdong, the rainstorm claimed three lives, destroyed 2,300 houses and caused a total of 300 million yuan of economic loss. The typhoon has left more than 220,000 residents from 49 towns and townships in Shaoguan being affected and 200 hectares of farmland being inundated. So far, the city government of Shaoguan has sent disaster release crews to the disaster-hit areas and has allocated five million yuan to help victims. |
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