Meranti, the 10th typhoon to hit China this year, made landfall at Shishi City in the southeastern Chinese province of Fujian at 3:30 AM Friday, according to provincial flood control authorities.

A total of 145,300 people in Fujian have been evacuated to avoid rain- and wind-triggered accidents.

About 33,200 fishing boats returned to port before 8:00 PM Thursday to take refuge from the typhoon.

Meranti will bring up to 100 mm of rainfall to Fujian's Quanzhou, Putian, Fuzhou and Ningde cities Friday, according to meteorological authorities' forecast.

(Xinhua News Agency September 10, 2010)