Seven die as Typhoon Koppu hits China
Posted by
JAC on 9/17/2009, 8:01 am
Thu Sep 17, 1:31 am ET
BEIJING (AFP) - Seven people have died and six others are missing after Typhoon Koppu slammed into south China, causing torrential rain, mudslides and an oil spill, the government and state media said Thursday.
Four of the seven victims in Guangdong province -- a father and son, and two migrant workers -- were buried by a torrent of mud, the official Xinhua news agency said.
More than 100,000 residents had to be evacuated and direct economic losses totalled two billion yuan (300 million dollars), the civil affairs ministry said in a statement.
Houses in parts of the province were destroyed by landslides, and a Panama-registered cargo ship ran aground in Zhuhai city's harbour near Macau, spilling 50 tonnes of fuel oil into the sea, Xinhua said.
The report, citing provincial maritime authorities, said the spill had been contained.
Koppu is the 15th typhoon to hit China this year. Before reaching the mainland, it ripped through Hong Kong, forcing financial markets to shut down for the morning trading session on Tuesday.
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