7 dead, 4 missing as typhoon Koppu hits S China
Surging billows splash onto the coastal road as an aftermath of the gales and heavy rains brought by the tropical storm Koppu, at Zhuhai City, south China's Guangdong Province, Sept. 15, 2009. Typhoon Koppu staged a landing Tuesday morning on the coast of southern China's Guangdong Province, bringing about gales and rainstorm with a top precipitation at 148.5 mm in the province. The typhoon, the 15th this year, landed at around 7:00 a.m. at Beidou town of Taishan city, packing up winds of 126 km/hour at its eye, according to the provincial meteorological bureau. (Xinhua/Xi Hu) |
Seven people have been killed and four others remain missing as typhoon Koppu slammed its way into south China's Guangdong Province, local authorities updated the death toll Thursday morning.
Three people in Chuanbu Township in Luoding City and four in Sihe Town of Xinyi City were killed and four others in Xinyi were missing by Wednesday night.
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A person clears away the wreckage at the site where a vessel collided onto the bank as an aftermath of the gales and heavy rains brought by the tropical storm Koppu inside Xiangzhou Fishery Harbour, Zhuhai City, south China's Guangdong Province, Sept. 15, 2009. Typhoon Koppu staged a landing Tuesday morning on the coast of southern China's Guangdong Province, bringing about gales and rainstorm with a top precipitation at 148.5 mm in the province. The typhoon, the 15th this year, landed at around 7:00 a.m. at Beidou town of Taishan city, packing up winds of 126 km/hour at its eye, according to the provincial meteorological bureau. (Xinhua/Xi Hu) |
All of the four in Sihe town were suffocated to death after being buried by mountain mud. Of them, two were local villagers including a father and a son, and the other two were migrant workers from the neighboring Yunnan Province.
The typhoon, the 15th this year, has brought heavy rains to the province. Although it relieved the lingering drought in north and east Guangdong, the rain was also causing disruption.
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Photo taken on Sep. 15, 2009 shows the street view after the tropical storm Koppu in Hong Kong, south of China.(Xinhua/Song Zhenping) |
Houses in Yangchun, Xinyi and Luoding cities had been destroyed by typhoon-triggered landslides, the news release said.
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Rescuers help an injured sailor off a vessel which collided onto the bank as an aftermath of the gales and heavy rains brought by the tropical storm Koppu inside Xiangzhou Fishery Harbour, Zhuhai City, south China's Guangdong Province, Sept. 15, 2009. Typhoon Koppu staged a landing Tuesday morning on the coast of southern China's Guangdong Province, bringing about gales and rainstorm with a top precipitation at 148.5 mm in the province. The typhoon, the 15th this year, landed at around 7:00 a.m. at Beidou town of Taishan city, packing up winds of 126 km/hour at its eye, according to the provincial meteorological bureau. (Xinhua/Xi Hu) |
At Gaolan Harbor in Zhuhai City, Agios Dimitrios 1, a Panama-registered cargo ship went aground in typhoon Koppu. Fifty tonnes of fuel oil reportedly spilt in the sea area.
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Photo taken on Sep. 15, 2009 shows the street view after the tropical storm Koppu in Hong Kong, south of China.(Xinhua/Song Zhenping) |
According to Guangdong maritime authorities, as of 8 p.m. Wednesday, the spill has been basically under control. Spill containment boom was used to prevent the floating fuel from spreading to nearby aquacultural areas.