Over eight lakh evacuated as typhoon approaches China

Beijing, July 10: Over 8 lakh people in the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang were evacuated as super Typhoon Chan-Hom approaches its shores, media reported on Friday.

Chan-Hom is the second typhoon to hit China in two days. A total of 28,764 ships were recalled to port on Friday.

Several cities were already reporting heavy rain and strong gales. It has also generated heavy rains and strong wind in northern Taiwan, Xinhua cited the provincial flood, typhoon and drought headquarters as saying.

The storm circle would influence Taiwan's northern and northeastern sea areas, as well as the northern part of the Taiwan Strait.

The typhoon was moving at a speed of 20 km per hour. It is due to make landfall somewhere between Rui'an and Zhoushan in Zhejiang province between Friday night and Saturday noon.

The National Meteorological Centre (NMC) said Chan-Hom could be the strongest typhoon to land in Zhejiang since 1949.

The storm disrupted traffic and about 100 flights were cancelled on Friday.

Typhoon Linfa made landfall on Thursday in the southern province of Guangdong, bringing torrential rain to the coast. No casualties have been reported.

IANS