FUZHOU, May 18 (Xinhua) -- Typhoon Chanchu continues to move northward along the coastal areas of east China's Fujian Province after it landed in Shantou City of neighboring Guangdong Province at 2:15 a.m. Thursday, local meteorological sources said.

    Affected by Chanchu, Xiamen, Zhangzhou and other coastal cities in southern Fujian were hit by rainstorms Wednesday, with rainfall ranging from 50 mm to 555 mm, according to the latest statistics from the Fujian provincial flood prevention office.

    The rainfall has led to flooding in a number of rivers in the province. However, there is no immediate reports of casualties or damages at present, according to the office.

    By Wednesday evening, 578,000 people have been safely relocatedin Fujian, and evacuation continues in areas likely to be affectedby the typhoon.

    The typhoon continues to move northward with a speed of 20 km or 25 km per hour along the coastal areas of Fujian, the Fujian Provincial Meteorological Bureau said.

    Chanchu, which means "pearl", formed in the Pacific, about 550 km east of Mindanao island in the Philippines on May 9. It hit central Philippines on Saturday, killing at least 32 people and leaving more than 1,000 others homeless. Enditem