Disastrous Typhoon Claims FiveChina's 16th tropical storm for the year, Typhoon "Wukong", hit the south island province of Hainan on 11:30 am, killing five people. One person is reported missing.An official with Hainan Provincial Meteorological Station said the typhoon has been one of the worse typhoons to hit Hainan since 1996. The typhoon left a trail of devastation in Sanya, Lingshui, Wanning and Qionghai. There were blackouts and shops were forced to close. Many uprooted trees alongside streets impeded normal traffic, said local sources. According to incomplete statistics released by governments in Sanya and Qionghai, more than 1,000 houses and 20,000 hectares of farmland were destroyed. The meteorological station expects that the typhoon will move westward at a speed of 20 kilometers in the coming 24 hours. |
| People's Daily Online --- http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/ |