Typhoon Leaves 700 Dead in East China
Typhoon Fred killed more than 700 people in eastern China’s Zhejiang province and caused more than $1 billion in damage, officials said Tuesday.
The typhoon pounded the coastal region south of Shanghai over the weekend, collapsing thousands of houses and demolishing river embankments.
A spokesman for the provincial foreign affairs office said by telephone that at least 700 people had died. But there was no final tally of deaths and destruction.
According to official figures, the storm resulted in the collapse of 100,000 homes with damage to 700,000 others.
More than 2 million people were surrounded by floodwaters, and 560,000 have moved to drier areas.
The official New China News Agency said heavy rains lashed most of the province for 43 consecutive hours. Rainfall exceeded eight inches in some areas, with flooding up to three feet. Tides in some areas reached 20-year highs.
Before reaching China, Fred killed three people in Taiwan.
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