China: 14 killed in havoc caused by Typhoon Meranti

Beijing: Fourteen people were killed, 14 others listed missing while an 870-year-old heritage bridge was destroyed after Typhoon 'Meranti', the world's strongest typhoon so far this year, caused widespread devastation in China's Fujian province.

Meranti made landfall in Xiamen yesterday with a maximum 15-grade wind force bringing extraordinary rainstorms.

It has reportedly killed seven people in Fujian, six people in Zhejiang Province and one in Taiwan Province, state-run Xinhua news agency reported today. In Fujian, nine more people were missing.

Some 331,000 people were forced to relocate and direct economic losses of 1.7 billion yuan (USD 249 million) were estimated in the province, according to the local government.

Repair workers are busy restoring the power grid in Xiamen, as the typhoon cut off tap water supplies and caused a mass blackout in the city.

As parts of the city's railway facilities were damaged, nine passenger trains were canceled, and the routes of 61 trains will be changed between September 16 and 25.

The provincial government has so far allocated 60 million yuan in disaster relief for affected people.

An earlier report by Xinhua said 51 people were injured in the typhoon fury. An 871-year-old bridge in Yongchun County was destroyed by the flood.

The Dongguan Bridge was a protected heritage site and built in 1145 during the Song Dynasty.

The typhoon weakened to a tropical depression around 5 pm Thursday and moved northwards, bringing downpours to the provinces of Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Anhui and the city of Shanghai.

Zhejiang was particularly badly affected.

More than 70,000 people were relocated, and 1.8 billion yuan in direct economic losses were caused, according to provincial authorities.

Over 600 rescuers are working in disaster-hit areas of Zhejiang.

Shanghai was also affected by Meranti and witnessed its heaviest downpour this year from Thursday night to Friday morning, with 400 millimeters of precipitation.

Coming hot on the heels of Meranti, Typhoon Malakas is likely to enter the East China Sea on Saturday.

Taiwan's meteorological agency issued land and sea warnings for Malakas today, and said the typhoon was bringing winds of up to 180 kms per hour as it moved toward the island.

The meteorological bureau of Fujian forecast that offshore fisheries in the province would be affected.

Shanghai flood control headquarters also called on related departments and organisations to prepare for the approaching typhoon.