Southeast coast braces for typhoon as Taiwan cleans up
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-07-19 16:40

Xinhua reported that the authorities in Fuzhou had sent 1 million mobile phone text messages to residents, warning them of the typhoon.

In Taiwan, business resumed on Tuesday with workers clearing away uprooted trees, street signs and billboards toppled by Haitang's lashing winds and heavy rains. The storm had shut offices, schools and financial markets on Monday. More than 98,000 households remained without power.

As Typhoon Haitang approaches, black clouds hover over Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province July 19, 2005. [newsphoto]

The official death toll from the typhoon rose to four in Taiwan Province, and the local Fire Agency said it was still investigating the cause of death of another two bodies found floating in water. One more person was listed as missing.

Non-stop torrential rain through the night sparked flooding in Taiwan's south, with streets in some areas filled with muddy water up to waist height, forcing residents to wade through with children on their backs, television footage showed. Weather forecasters said torrential rain would continue to pummel Taiwan through Wednesday, and warned residents to watch out for flash floods and landslides.

Typhoons gather strength from warm sea waters and tend to dissipate after making landfall. They frequently hit China’s Taiwan island, Japan, the Philippines, Hong Kong and coastal China during a season that starts in early summer and lasts until late autumn.

In 2001, one of Taiwan's deadliest years for storms, Typhoon Toraji killed 200 people. Last year's Typhoon Rananim killed 164 in the mainland and caused more than $2 billion in economic losses.