BEIJING, Sept. 5 -- The death toll from Typhoon Talim could be as high as 73.

    According to Xinhua News Agency reports, in addition to the deaths the direct economic losses from torrential rains, flooding and landslides are 7.8 billion yuan (US$960 million), mainly in East China's Fujian, Zhejiang, Anhui and Jiangxi provinces.

    In the worst-hit Anhui Province, at least 53 were killed as heavy rains began falling on Thursday.

    Rainstorms and heavy flows of mud and rock also destroyed 17,200 residential houses, damaged 61,100 houses and affected more than 130,000 hectares of cropland in the province, according to an official with the Anhui Provincial Disaster Relief Office. The province evacuated 168,100 people.

    The provincial government has allocated 8 million yuan (US$986,440) in relief funds for affected areas. The provincial civil affairs bureau distributed 400 tents and other relief materials to affected people.

    In the two worst-hit counties Yuexi and Jinzhai, close to the Dabie Mountain area, about 400,000 people suffered from the disasters and 46,000 hectares of cropland were affected.

    In Yuexi County, where a landslide occurred, more than 10,000 homes were damaged and transport were cut off.

    The Ministry of Civil Affairs sent two work teams to carry out disaster relief work in affected provinces after the disaster happened.

    In Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, the typhoon killed 15, China News Agency reported.

    According to statistics, in Wenzhou and Lishui, a total of 2.22 million people in 18 counties have been affected. Meanwhile, 11,789 houses have been pulled down. The direct loss was put at 3.42 billion yuan (US$421.7 million), the local government said.

    Xinhua said the tropical storm was weakened on Friday as it passed further inland into Jiangxi Province.

    However, the destructive force was not reduced as parts of Jiujiang city, situated about 20 kilometres from Lushan Mountain, were flooded by the downpour.

    At 10:00 pm on Friday, a mudslide triggered by the typhoon at the Lushan Mountain area buried two buildings, where 21 occupants were inside.

    One was found dead by the time rescue crews reached him and five others were injured. The remaining 15 are still missing.

    Respite could be brief, as following closely on Talim's heals, Typhoon Nabi is set to become the 14th tropical storm to hit this year. Nabi could bring strong winds and rainstorms to East China's Zhejiang Province today, according to a provincial meteorological station.

    Moving northwest at a speed of 20 kilometres per hour, Typhoon Nabi was on Sunday packing force 12 gusts.

    Zhejiang provincial headquarters for disaster control has called on local departments to make full preparations in order to keep damages caused by Nabi to a minimum. Enditem

(Source: China Daily)