Flood leaves one dead, over 300,000 affected

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-09-29 19:59

NANNING -- Continuous torrential rain triggered by Typhoon Hagupit has left one person dead and more than 300,000 others affected in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, a county government spokesman said Monday.

Waves batter a waterfront park as Typhoon Hagupit brings heavy rainfall to Beihai, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, September 24, 2008. [Xinhua]

Torrential rain pounded Fusui County from Wednesday, hurting the livelihoods of 233,000 people and causing an evacuation of 68,900 others.

The downpours destroyed 278 houses in the county and left more than 1,200 others damaged. Some schools were flooded and crops were destroyed on about 41,540 hectares of farmland.

Water conservation facilities, highways, reservoirs and embankments were all damaged.

In the Zuojiang River in the county, the water level reached 87.48 meters on Monday morning, 5.66 meters above the river's warning level.

According to Guangxi regional hydrological bureau's prediction, the water level would reach 89 meters while the anti-flood embankment was 88.69 meters high.

More than 2,800 people, including government officials, police staff and volunteers, were mobilized to reinforce the embankment on Sunday. But there is still a 20-meter gap left.

"Once water floods in, nearly 80 percent of the county will be flooded and 50,000 residents will be in danger," a local government official said.

The flood also threatened the safety of more than 10,000 people living in low-lying areas along the river.

So far, no people have been reported injured or missing.

Hagupit, the 14th strong typhoon of this year, landed in the neighboring Guangdong Province last Wednesday. It left China on Thursday and moved into Vietnam, after killing at least 17 people.

The 15th typhoon Jangmi shaved the eastern Fujian Province early on Monday, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to the coast.