Typhoon Saomai Hits Zhejiang, Wenzhou, Kills Over 100

桑美袭击浙江温州百多人死亡

Chinese authorities say the strongest typhoon to strike China in half a century has killed at least 104 people with 190 others missing. China's official Xinhua news agency said Typhoon Saomai made landfall Thursday afternoon near the city of Wenzhou in Zhejiang province, with wind speeds up to 216 kilometers-per-hour.

Most of the deaths are from Zhejiang province where the storm destroyed 18-thousand homes. Two people were reported dead in the city of Fuding in Fujian province.

The Typhoon Saomai has been downgraded to a tropical depression and is moving into Jiangxi province. More than one million people were evacuated from China's coastal regions before the typhoon tore into the area.

中国有关部门说，50年来最强大的台风“桑美”在中国造成至少104人死亡，大约190人下落不明。中国官方的新华社说，台风“桑美”星期四下午在浙江省温州市附近登陆，风速高达每小时216公里。

死亡绝大多数发生在浙江省，台风“桑美”在那里摧毁了1万8千所住宅。据报导，福建省福鼎市有两人死亡。

台风“桑美”已经降级为热带低压，目前正向江西省移动。中国沿海地区有100多万人在台风来袭前疏散。