17 dead, 5 million affected by typhoon Rammasun

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The death toll from super typhoon Rammasun increased to 17 as of Sunday as one more person was confirmed dead in the island province of Hainan.

Rammasun, the strongest typhoon to hit south China in four decades, brought gales and downpours to a number of southern provinces. At least two people are missing, according to local civil affairs authorities.

The latest statistics showed that more than 5.57 million people were affected by Rammasun as it swept across dozens of southern coastal cities in Guangdong and Hainan provinces, and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Eight people, including two government officials who were in a rescue operation, were confirmed dead in Hainan, while nine others are from Guangxi.

The typhoon seriously damaged power and water supplies, telecommunications networks, ports and roads, making rescue work more difficult. Hainan, where Rammasun made its first landfall on Friday afternoon, suffered the worst damage.

The typhoon destroyed about 51,000 houses and 40,600 hectares of crops, causing economic losses of over 10.8 billion yuan ($1.74 billion U.S. dollars), the provincial civil affairs authorities said.

The provincial government has allocated 100 million yuan ($16.1 million US dollars)to help the worst-hit areas.

Rammasun is expected to continue moving northwest at a speed of 20 kilometers per hour, bringing heavy rainfalls to the west of Hainan and Yunnan Province, according to weather authorities.

Questions:

1. What is the name of the super typhoon that hit south China?

2. How many people were affected by the super typhoon?

3. Where did Rammasun make its first landfall on Friday afternoon?

Answers:

1. Ramassun.

2. 5.57 million.

3. Hainan.

（中國日報網(wǎng)英語點津 Julie 編輯）

About the broadcaster:

Anne Ruisi is an editor at China Daily online with more than 30 years of experience as a newspaper editor and reporter. She has worked at newspapers in the U.S., including The Birmingham News in Alabama and City Newspaper of Rochester, N.Y.