Two coastal provinces in east China have relocated more than 460,000 people in anticipation of super-strong Typhoon Jangmi, local authorities said on Sunday.
More than 76,000 boats were called to harbor as Fujian and Zhejiang provinces brace for Jangmi, which is forecast to slam into Fujian late Monday afternoon or evening.
In Fujian, which faces Taiwan across the Taiwan Strait, authorities moved more than 267,000 people working at sea to safe areas and recalled more than 51,000 boats, according to the provincial flood-prevention office.
In Zhejiang, almost 200,000 residents were evacuated from low-lying areas and more than 25,000 boats returned to harbor.
The typhoon is expected to bring torrential rain and high winds to the two provinces. Local authorities have issued warnings of possible floods and landslides.
Jangmi made landfall in Yilan, Taiwan at 3:40 p.m. Sunday, packing winds of up to 183.6 km per hour in the eye, according to the Fujian Provincial Observatory. It is moving northeastward at 20 km per hour.
Navigation has been suspended across the Taiwan Strait due to strong winds and waves, and all sea tours have been suspended in Fujian and Zhejiang.
Emergency workers from the maritime affairs bureau in Xiamen, Fujian helped transfer 27 Taiwan sailors and 10 foreign sailors, mostly Indonesians, to safe areas on Sunday, after their vessels encountered mechanical failure and strong winds and high waves late Saturday afternoon at the Strait.
The Taiwan sailors were finally saved by helicopters dispatched by the bureau. Their boat was dragged to safer water Sunday morning in Shantou, Guangdong Province.
The Indonesian sailors and their vessel were also dragged to Shantou Sunday afternoon.
Jangmi is coming on the heels of Hagupit, the 14th strong typhoon of this year. It landed in the southern Guangdong Province last Wednesday.
Hagupit left China on Thursday and moved into Vietnam, after killing at least 17 people.
(Xinhua News Agency September 29, 2008)