Typhoon: Thousands evacuated

2004-08-25 09:14

Taipei - China evacuated hundreds of thousands of people as Typhoon Aere lashed neighbouring Taiwan n Wednesday, triggering landslides and widespread disruption and leaving at least seven people feared dead.

The storm was packing winds of 175km per hour as it bore down on the island's capital Taipei, which shut down financial markets, schools and offices for a second day.

Across the Taiwan Strait, China prepared for the worst as Aere was forecast to make landfall in the eastern province of Zhejiang later on Wednesday.

Zhejiang evacuated about 249 000 people and nearly 31 500 fishing boats were also called back to port, China's Xinhua news agency said.

Typhoon's name means storm

The centre of Aere - which means "storm" in the Marshall Islands where it began - was located 50km north of Taipei at around 7:00 on Tuesday.

It was heading west at 15km per hour towards China, where at least 164 people were killed and 1 800 injured when Typhoon Rananim carved a trail of destruction through Zhejiang province earlier this month.

A Hong Kong fisherman died and four others were reported missing late on Monday after two boats capsized off the north and east of Taiwan. Taiwan's National Rescue Command Centre said the fishermen were presumed dead, and that search missions were forced to be suspended.

Two young girls were also swept away while swimming in heavy seas in southern Japan, which was also hit by the typhoon.

Seven Taipei residents were injured - four of them hit by falling debris - while gusts of winds uprooted trees in Taipei and caused several car crashes, local officials said.

Although no major casualties were reported overnight, weathermen were alarmed by the huge amounts rain being dumped by the typhoon.

"It could be the most critical moment in the next few hours when the centre of the typhoon is closest to the island," warned an official with the Central Weather Bureau.

Taiwan authorities had to evacuate thousands of residents living in low-lying and mountainous areas in the wake of flooding and landslides.

In Sanchung city outside the capital, where a subway system is being built, the authorities managed to pull out residents while battling with flooding.

Adding to rising river levels was the release of water from dams where officials said they could no longer take in more water.

The Central Weather Bureau said the typhoon had ditched up to 1 400mm of rain on central Miaoli county and warned of possible landslides in 19 towns.

- SAPA