Matsa kills seven, causes billions in losses
By Bao Daozu (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-08-08 05:29

Typhoon Matsa killed seven people and caused several billion yuan in losses as it ravaged through East China's coastal area over the weekend.

Heavy rainwater on the street in Shanghai makes riding tough. [newsphoto]

The ninth typhoon to hit the country this year downgraded into a tropical storm after wreaking havoc in Zhejiang Province for 18 hours and leaving for the neighbouring Anhui Province late on Saturday night, according to the National Meteorological Centre. The centre of the storm moved further north into Jiangsu Province yesterday.

Zhejiang was the hardest hit, with two people killed, two reported missing and damages amounting to 6.56 billion yuan (US$809 million), according to the provincial Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.

Matsa landed on the province's Ganjiang township before dawn on Saturday. It packed winds of up to 160 kph as it moved northwest and dumped torrential rain in most areas of the province, including the provincial capital Hangzhou.

More than 8.4 million people and 200,500 hectares of farmland were affected, and 13,108 houses damaged, according to the headquarters.

"Casualties could have been even bigger without the timely evacuation of local residents," said Yao Yuewei, deputy director of the headquarters.

More than 1.24 million residents were evacuated to safety before the arrival of the typhoon, Yao added.

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