Typhoon Kaemi, the fifth to hit China this year, slammed into
Jinjiang City, southeast China's Fujian Province, at 3:50 PM Tuesday, said the
provincial meteorological observatory.
The eye of the typhoon had a wind velocity of 33 meters per
second when it made the landfall, said the observatory.
By 3:30 PM prior to the landfall of Kaemi, about 643,900 people
in Fujian had been evacuated to safe places, including 319,400 on
the sea, according to the provincial flood control authorities.
The typhoon has unleashed heavy rainfall of 50 to 105
millimeters on Tuesday hitting many other counties or cities across
Fujian, according to the flood control sources.
Over 44,000 vessels returned to harbors in Fujian before the
arrival of Typhoon Kaemi.
By 3 PM Tuesday, 27 flights had been cancelled or delayed at the
airport of Fuzhou, the provincial capital.
Cell phone users are warned in form of short messages to
heighten vigilance against the typhoon and potential ensuing
disasters. By noon, over 6 million short messages had been sent
out.
The Customs of Xiamen in Fujian has donated over 80,000 pieces
of clothes and 9,000 pairs of shoes valuing 2.88 million yuan
(360,000 U.S. dollars) for disaster relief.
In the neighboring Guangdong Province, all fishing boats and
rafts, 12,498 in total, with about 46,000 fishermen had sought
shelter in harbors.
Provincial flood control authorities have ordered that water
level in all 33 big reservoirs lowered to below warning lines. As
of 4 PM 32 have achieved the goal with only one accelerated
sluicing.
Heavy rain is also sweeping East China's Jiangsu and Zhejiang.
Local governments have drafted emergency plans and are closely
watching the movement of Kaemi.
The Jiangxi Province adjacent to Fujian is bracing for the
typhoon that will land in central Jiangxi's Fuzhou City, as
downpours have begun washing the southern and middle parts of the
province since Tuesday afternoon. Maximum rainfall in six hours has
reached 121 millimeter and the rain is going on.
People in mountainous areas where rains are heavy are under
evacuation.
Sand bags and stones are prepared for possible flood and a
taskforce is ready to launch rescue and relief operations when the
typhoon comes.
According to prediction of the meteorological observatory of
Anhui, Kaemi will abate to tropical storm and land in west Anhui's
Jinzhai County. Rainfall will reach 100 to 150 millimeters.
Although Anhui is an inland province, said an official with the
provincial office of flood and drought relief, the province has
seen lots of rains lately. He warns people to be alert of flood,
landslide and mud-rock flows.
(Xinhua News Agency July 26, 2006)