Typhoon Aere, the 18th typhoon this year and the second
strongest to hit the mainland, is expected to make landfall between
Lianjiang and Quanzhou in east China's Fujian Province on Wednesday
afternoon. The Central Meteorological Observatory believes it will
remain throughout the night.
As of 5:00 AM Wednesday, the eye of the typhoon was
approximately 240 kilometers east of Fuqing City, Fujian
Province.
Aere will bring moderate to gale force winds to the Bashi and
Balingtang channels, most of Taiwan and the Taiwan Straits, the
East China Sea and northeastern South China Sea and the Yangtze
River Estuary, as well as eastern portions of Zhejiang, Fujian and
Guangdong provinces, from daytime Wednesday through Thursday.
Torrential rains are expected to hit most of Taiwan, Fujian and
Zhejiang provinces, eastern Jiangxi province and northern and
eastern Guangdong Province.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs issued emergency typhoon warnings
to Fujian, Zhejiang and Jiangxi provinces on Tuesday, evacuating
249,000 people from coastal areas in Zhejiang. Emergency rescue
teams are already in place in Fujian and Zhejiang provinces.
In Fujian Province, residents in Ningde, Fuzhou and Quanzhou
cities were warned to be alert for possible mudslides resulting
from the typhoon.
Coinciding with the autumn tide, the typhoon is expected to
bring the surface wind along Zhejiang's Qiantang River to force 5
to 6, strong enough to pose a danger to ships.
Some 31,500 fishing boat have been called back to harbor.
Zhejiang is still recovering from the pounding it took from
Typhoon Rananim, which killed more than 170 people when it slammed
into the province on August 12.
Typhoon Aere pounded northern Taiwan with torrential rains and
powerful winds Tuesday. Financial markets, public offices and
schools were closed in many parts of the island and local media
report that power was cut off in more than 20,000 homes. The
typhoon is expected to affect the province for two more days.
Hong Kong radio stations reported on Tuesday that the typhoon
has left two people dead and three others missing.
(Xinhua News Agency, China Daily, China.org.cn August
25, 2004)
