Damrey kills 9, wreaks havoc in Hainan
(China Daily/AP)
Updated: 2005-09-27 06:06

Overall economic losses caused by Damrey are expected to exceed 10 billion yuan (US$1.23 billion).

In Guangdong Province, three coastal villages in Xuwen County on the southern tip of the Leizhou Peninsula were flooded.

"I didn't even have enough time to move my TV set and other valuables," villager Chen Changmin said yesterday. He said floodwaters had reached the roof of his house.

At least 50 villages in 11 townships across the county were also affected.

More than 10,000 houses were reported destroyed or damaged in the cities of Zhanjiang, Maoming and Yangjiang, according to sources at the Guangdong Provincial Anti-Flooding Headquarters.

Many coastal dykes, ponds, reservoirs and other water conservancy facilities were also breached. Losses were still being calculated even as local governments started helping local residents reconstruct their homes and restore production.

More than 1,000 passengers were stranded at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport yesterday as 18 scheduled flights to and from Hainan were cancelled or delayed.

Shenzhen International Airport also cancelled 10 flights to Zhanjiang, Haikou and Hainan's southern resort city of Sanya.

Last night, as Damrey made its way towards Viet Nam, maximum wind speeds had fallen to 111 kph.

(China Daily 09/27/2005 page1)