Death toll from typhoon Rammasun rises to 18

The death toll from the strongest storm to hit China in decades reached 18 yesterday, as forecasters issued warnings of more extreme weather.

Workers clear tree branches off a highway after Typhoon Rammasun in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, July 19, 2014. [Photo/Xinhua]

Typhoon Rammasun, the most powerful typhoon to hit south China in 40 years, brought gales and downpours to a number of southern provinces. At least five people are missing, according to local civil affairs authorities.

More than 5.77 million people were affected by Rammasun as it swept dozens of southern coastal cities in Guangdong and Hainan provinces and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Nine people, including two government officials who were in a rescue operation, were killed in Hainan, while the nine other deaths were in Guangxi.

The typhoon seriously damaged power and water supplies, telecommunications networks, ports and roads, making rescue work more difficult.

It destroyed about 37,000 houses and 468,500 hectares of crops, causing economic losses of over 26.55 billion yuan (US$4.32 billion), said the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.

Hainan, where Rammasun made landfall on Friday, suffered the worst damage.

The typhoon destroyed about 40,600 hectares of crops, causing economic losses of over 10.8 billion yuan in the province.

The provincial government has allocated 100 million yuan to help the worst-hit areas.

As Rammasun moved out of Hainan, all the airports in the island had reopened by yesterday morning. Ferry, rail and bus services have also resumed there.

Guangxi, which is still under the influence of the typhoon, has reported a direct economic loss of 1.63 billion yuan so far.

Rammasun is expected to continue moving northwest at a speed of 20 kilometers per hour, bringing heavy rainfalls to the west of Hainan and Yunnan Province, according to meteorological authorities.

Meanwhile, China’s National Meteorological Centre has warned that downpours triggered by the typhoon were expected in northern parts of China in the coming days.

Heavy rain or rainstorms were predicted to sweep most parts of northeast China, as well as central and northern parts of north China, through to tomorrow, with some areas to see precipitation of 100 to 150 mm, the National Meteorological Center said.