Trami Batters S China

Typhoon Trami has slammed into southern China, bringing with it torrential rain, while the country's northeast is tackling severe flooding that has left hundreds of people dead or missing.

Trami, the 12th typhoon to hit the mainland this year, made landfall in the coastal areas of Fuqing, Fujian Province, at 2:40 AM on Thursday, packing winds of up to 126 km per hour at its center, according to the Fujian Meteorological Center.

Torrential downpours struck the cities of Fuzhou, Ningde, Putian and Sanming on Thursday morning, and 191 counties and towns in the province had received more than 100 mm of rain as of 7:00 AM, the center said.

As it moves west into Jiangxi Province, Trami will weaken into a tropical storm or a tropical depression, according to the National Meteorological Center.

The Fujian Meteorological Center cautioned against possible street flooding in urban areas and mudslides in mountainous regions caused by the lingering heavy downpours.

Chen Yanqing, a resident of Changle, said the storm is bigger than Soulik, the typhoon that hit the province last month.

"Strong winds blew off clay roof tiles of my house, and the rain poured into the kitchen. I could not sleep well all night," Chen said.

Lin Xinping, an official with Pingtan County government, said the strong winds toppled trees and knocked over billboards, blocking streets and creating traffic jams on Thursday morning.