Typhoon Gaemi heading towards China; Philippines reports 32 deaths so far

Waves break on the coastline in Yilan, Taiwan. File pic

Typhoon Gaemi has weakened into a severe tropical storm and is heading towards inland China on Friday after making landfall on the east coast.

The typhoon led to tree collapses, flooded streets, and also damaged crops in China, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or major damage.

Meanwhile, five people died in Taiwan, after Gaemi crossed the country at typhoon strength on Thursday before heading over the open waters to China.

The worst loss of life, however, was witnessed in a country where Gaemi earlier passed by but did not strike directly - the Philippines, reported news agency AP. The death toll has reached 32 and is steadily climbing, local authorities said on Friday.

The typhoon exacerbated seasonal monsoon rains in the Philippines, causing landslides and severe flooding. As the waters rose, the locals rushed to the rooftops.

In China, Gaemi waned into a severe tropical storm after coming ashore on Thursday evening in the coastal province of Fujian, but it is still expected to bring heavy rains in the coming days as it moves northwest to Jiangxi, Hubei and Henan provinces.

About 85 hectares of crops were damaged in Fujian and the total economic losses are estimated to be around 11.5 million yuan (USD 1.6 million), as per Chinese media reports. More than 2.9 lakh people were relocated because of the storm. One person died while three are missing owing to the heavy rains that lashed the province this week in Gansu, reported Xinhua News Agency.

In Taiwan, residents and business owners mopped muddy water on Friday after homes and shops got flooded. Several vehicles were washed away in parts of southern and central Taiwan.

Five people died owing to tree collapses while one person was killed in a landslide. More than 650 people were injured, the emergency operations centre said.

President Lai Ching-te paid a visit to Kaohsiung in the south and commended the city's efforts to improve flood control since following a 2009 typhoon that brought a similar amount of rain and killed 681 people, Taiwan's Central News Agency reported.

Lai announced that cash payments of USD 20,000 New Taiwan Dollars (USD 610) would be given to households in severely flooded areas.

Philippines

The worst-hit country, Philippines, reported at least 32 deaths, mostly because of flooding and landslides, triggered by days of monsoon rains that intensified when the typhoon, called Carina in the Philippines, passed by the archipelago's east coast.

The victims included 11 people in the Manila metro area, where widespread flooding trapped people on the roofs and upper floors of their houses, police said. Some drownings and electrocutions were also reported.

The bodies of a pregnant woman and three children were dug out on Wednesday after a landslide buried a shanty in the rural mountainside town of Agoncillo in Batangas province.

Earlier this week, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr asked the authorities to speed up efforts in delivering food and other aid to isolated rural villages.

(With AP inputs)