Typhoon forces evacuation of over 1 million
By Shao Xiaoyi in Hangzhou, and Hu Meidong, Li Dapeng in Fuzhou (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-07-20 06:02

Several houses along the highway were destroyed, but prompt evacuation prevented any casualties, police said.

Rainstorms also brought about a water level surge in Zhejiang's major rivers.

Vice-Premier Hui Liangyu yesterday urged governments of all the affected coastal provinces to put emergency plans into action against the disastrous weather.

Hui said the governments should make every effort to safeguard lives and must be fully aware of the possible floods and landslides the typhoon could cause.

Haitang, named after a Chinese flower, hammered northern Taiwan on Monday.

In Shanghai, precautions resulted mostly in inconvenience. People were milling around at the Car and Passenger Ferry Wharf in suburban Luchaogang.

Usually there are six ferry crossings a day to and from Shengsi, a popular Zhejiang scenic spot.

Instead, the wharf was ordered closed, leaving about 5,000 ferry passengers going nowhere.

Hotels around the wharf filled up as some non-local passengers had no choice but to wait for the wharf's reopening.

"I came here with my family on Sunday to travel to Shengsi but cannot go now," complained Huang Huilan, a traveller from Jiangxi Province staying at the Lianxin Hotel.

"What's more, we were told we have to stay here for at least three days. Terrible thing!"

Xinhua and agencies contributed to the report

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