Typhoon Meranti wreaks havoc in China, 14 dead

Meranti made landfall in Xiamen on Thursday with a maximum 15-grade wind force bringing strong rainstorms. It has reportedly killed seven people in Fujian, six in Zhejiang and one in Taiwan, state-run Xinhua news agency reported on Friday. 

Around 331,000 people were forced to relocate and direct economic losses of 1.7 billion yuan ($249 million) were estimated in the province, the local government said. Workers are busy restoring the power grid in Xiamen, as the typhoon cut off tap water supplies and caused a blackout in the city. As parts of the city’s railway facilities were damaged, nine passenger trains were canceled, and the routes of 61 trains will be changed between September 16 and 25.

An earlier report by Xinhua said 51 people were injured in the typhoon fury. An 871-year-old bridge in Yongchun County was destroyed by the flood. The Dongguan Bridge was a protected heritage site and built in 1145 during the Song Dynasty.

The typhoon weakened to a tropical depression around 5pm on Thursday and moved northwards, bringing downpours to the provinces of Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Anhui and the city of Shanghai. Zhejiang was particularly badly affected.

Over 70,000 people were relocated, and 1.8 billion yuan in direct economic losses were caused, according to provincial authorities. Over 600 rescuers are working in disaster-hit areas of Zhejiang. 

Shanghai was also affected by Meranti and witnessed its heaviest downpour this year from Thursday night to Friday morning, with 400 millimeters of precipitation. Coming hot on the heels of Meranti, Typhoon Malakas is likely to enter the East China Sea on Saturday.