CHINA / Regional

Death toll from Bilis rises to 177
(Agencies/Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-07-17 20:03

Rainstorms and floods spilt 144,680 hectares of crops and forced 1,865 industrial and mining enterprises to suspend production, resulting in losses of three billion yuan (US$375 million).

The Fujian government has appropriated 4.3 million yuan (US$537,500) for disaster relief and delivered 2,000 quilts, 6,000 boxes of instant noodles and 12,000 tents to victims.

Chinese soldiers rescue people in flood in Shaoguan, South China's Guangdong Province, July 16, 2006. [Fang Qianhua/Southern Daily]

Chinese soldiers rescue people in flood in Shaoguan, South China's Guangdong Province, July 16, 2006. [Fang Qianhua/Southern Daily]

In Guangdong, 1.32 million people have been affected and 4,744 houses destroyed by the deadly storm.

Train services Monday partly resumed on the Beijing-Guangzhou Railway connecting the Chinese capital with the capital of Guangdong Province nearly two days after floods triggered by Bilis cut the trunk railway, according to local railway authorities.

The line northward resumed normal operation after about 10,000 workers were mobilized to repair the inundated tracks in Guangdong.

However, workers were busying repairing the tracks on the line southward in Guangdong, said railway authorities, adding it would take another two or three days to complete.

Water level in many parts of the province were at historical highs.

Local meteorological departments said heavy rains or rainstorms would continue in Guangdong for the next couple of days.

Guangxi disaster relief officials said on Monday 1.135 million people were affected by Bilis which has also caused 300 million yuan (US$37.5 million) worth of economic loss.

A total of 224 reservoirs in Guangxi were forced to discharge floodwater. More than 30,000 people stranded by flood have been evacuated by Monday.

The storm triggered heavy rainfall and serious floods in Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong and Guangxi since July 14, which also caused the emergency relocation of 1.7 million residents by 9:30 p.m. Sunday, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

There were no reports of casualties in Zhejiang and Jiangxi.

A joint work group representing the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Ministry of Finance and several other governmental departments have rushed to the disaster zones to aid and direct relief operations.

Bilis claimed at least 14 people in Luzon region of the Philippines before landing in China, according to Philippine disaster officials.


Page: 12