Four dead as typhoon Mujigae hits China

At least four people were killed and 80 injured, while another 16 were reported missing as typhoon Mujigae, the 22nd typhoon this year, hit China’s Guangdong province on Sunday, a media report said.

One fisherman died and another 16 were missing, as 35 cases of boat stranding were reported off the waters of Zhanjiang city, Xinhua said.

A total of 117 fishermen were rescued, according to the Zhanjiang maritime rescue centre.

Three people died and 80 were injured as a tornado hit Shunde district in Foshan city on Sunday afternoon, according to the municipal government.

The typhoon, bringing gales and downpours, hit the coastal city of Zhanjiang at 2.10 p.m., packing winds of up to 50 metres per second, the meteorological observatory said.

The typhoon was moving northwest, but with weakened strength. Storms were predicted to last till Monday.

Till Sunday evening, the typhoon caused widespread blackouts in Zhanjiang city, where water supply was also cut off in many areas.

More than 24,000 power maintenance workers in Guangdong were ready to deal with possible power cuts caused by the typhoon, according to the China Southern Power Grid.

More than 500 tourists were stranded on Fangji Island, a popular scenic spot near Maoming city, said the city’s floods, droughts and typhoons office.

The authorities had begun to evacuate tourists from the island on Saturday, but it was interrupted by strong winds. The remaining tourists were taken to hotels where water, power supply and telecommunications were unaffected.

IANS)