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270,000 evacuated as Typhoon Megi makes landfall

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-10-23 18:14

FUZHOU - Tens of thousands of residents have been evacuated as Megi, the 13th typhoon to hit China this year, made landfall in Zhangzhou city in the southeastern Chinese province of Fujian at 12:55 pm Saturday, authorities said.

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As of 9 am Saturday, more than 270,000 people had been evacuated and more people would be further relocated, according to the provincial flood control authorities.

The typhoon landed at Liu'ao town of Zhangpu county, southern Fujian, packing winds of up to 140 km/h.

It is gradually weakening as it heads northwest and inland over Fujian, and will bring more bad weather to Zhejiang, Jiangxi and other southeastern provinces.

The precipitation in cities of Zhangzhou, Xiamen and Quanzhou will reach 100 mm in the next 12 hours, the provincial meteorological bureau said.

Influenced by the typhoon, 79 flights at the airport of Xiamen City, also in Fujian, had been canceled as of 8:30 am Saturday, and the Dadeng Bridge, which connects the Xiamen City and Dadeng Island, had been closed from 7 am.