(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-06-04 14:29

YICHANG -- Eighteen vessels have been dispatched to search from seven people still missing after two boats capsized in strong winds on a river in Central China's Hubei Province.

The accidents happened as thunderstorms and strong winds blasted Zhijiang, of Yichang City in Hubei, at 6:20 pm on Tuesday, said a spokesman for Zhijiang government.

Sixteen people fell overboard from the two passenger vessels on the Changjiang River. Nine were saved, but the other seven are still missing.

When the accident happened, the winds, measuring force nine, blew at 86 kilometers an hour. The rainfall reached 36 millimeters within half an hour, the spokesman said.

The winds blew over telegraph poles in downtown Zhijiang, cutting power and water supplies across the city.

As of noon on Wednesday, 15 of the 24 damaged electric lines had been restored and power had been restored to the water supply plant. Power supplies would resume for the whole city by Wednesday night, the spokesman said.