Two storms swirl towards Taiwan, mainland
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-08-07 19:08
TAIPEI - Two tropical storms could hit Taiwan later this week before moving
on to Chinese mainland, Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau said on Monday.
Tropical storm Saomai was moving toward Taiwan from the southeast, with
maximum sustained wind speeds of 119 kph (73.9 mph) and gusts up to 155 kph
(96.3 mph), the weather bureau said on its Web site (www.cwb.gov-.tw).
Tropical storm Bopha is bringing maximum sustained wind speeds of 90 kph and
gusts of up to 119 kph, also from the southeast.
Bopha was due to reach southern Taiwan on Wednesday afternoon. Saomai would
touch the northern end of the island a day later, the weather bureau said on it
Web site.
Typhoons and tropical storms frequently hit Taiwan, south Chinese
mainland and the Philippines during a season that lasts from early summer
through late autumn.
The death toll in south mainland from floods and landslides caused by
tropical storm Prapiroon last week was 77, China's state-run Xinhua news agency
said.
Prapiroon, which means "God of Rain" in Thai, was the sixth storm of the
season to hit southern China.
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