|
China evacuated nearly half a million people from coastal areas as tropical storm Sinlaku bore down, but officials said the mainland was expected to escape the worst, state media reported Monday. Authorities also ordered 30,000 fishing boats to return to harbour in the eastern province of Zhejiang as heavy rains hit, indicating Sinlaku was moving closer, Xinhua news agency said. However, the storm, which was about 200 kilometres (125 miles) off China's eastern coast and moving northwest, was expected to change direction and not make landfall in mainland China, Xinhua quoted Zhejiang Meteorological Bureau chief Li Jian as saying. Still, Zhejiang Governor Lu Zushan said that Sinlaku remained a threat and downpours accompanying the storm could trigger landslides and flash floods. Source : Yahoo News
In southeast Fujian province, 230,000 people have moved to safer places and the same number have been relocated in Zhejiang, Xinhua said. Sinlaku lashed Taiwan over the weekend, leaving at least four dead, causing landslides and power blackouts and uprooting trees. It was downgraded from a typhoon early Monday, the agency said. |
