35 killed, 25 missing in typhoons, rains in China

Beijing, Sep 19: At least 35 people have been killed and 25 others missing in typhoons and rains that lashed China in the last a few days, officials said today.

Twenty nine people were killed and 15 missing in China when the typhoon 'Malakas' and 'Meranti', the world's strongest typhoon this year in China, struck five provincial- level Chinese regions, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said.

Triggering strong wind and downpours, the two typhoons have hit Shanghai Municipality and the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian and Jiangxi since September 14. Also, six people died and 10 others missing after downpours battered southwest China's Sichuan province yesterday and today, local officials said.

Heavy rain pounded parts of Panzhihua city, causing landslides, cave-ins and flash floods, and in some areas cutting off roads and damaging houses, according to a statement from the city's information office.

Three of the victims died after mud flows buried their houses, with two killed by collapsed walls and the other swept away in the floodwater, officials said.

The storm also disrupted electricity supply in some areas. A school in Wuben Township was damaged by a mudslide and two dams collapsed due to the rain, with no casualties reported, state run Xinhua news agency reported.

IANS