Torrential rains from Typhoon Kaemi caused widespread flooding in southeastern China yesterday, with more bad weather that has already forced the evacuation of 700,000 people expected this week.
The typhoon, which hit China's Fujian Province on Tuesday packing winds of 120kph, was downgraded to a tropical storm yesterday morning but was still causing widespread chaos.
Chinese television showed footage of torrential rains lashing the provincial capital of Fuzhou, as workers struggled to fasten power cables and make other preparations for the onslaught of the typhoon.
PHOTO: AFP
Local governments urged beleaguered citizens, still reeling from Tropical Storm Bilis -- which killed more than 600 people in the area after hitting on July 14 -- to brace for continued rainfall in the coming days.
Following Kaemi's landfall, the Fujian meteorological bureau issued an emergency order to prepare for flooding and landslides with up to 12cm of rain along the coast.
Warnings were also issued in China's southern Guangdong Province and Zhejiang Province to the north of Fujian.
"Although Kaemi did not hit our province, we cannot sit idly by, we must prepare for the aftermath of the typhoon and prevent flood disasters caused by heavy rains," the Southern Daily quoted Guangdong Vice Governor Li Ronggen (李榮根) as saying.
"We must place special attention to the safety of reservoirs and disasters like landslides, evacuate those in dangerous areas and prevent mishaps that can kill or injure people."
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