China hit by floods as typhoon roars in

A MASSIVE typhoon has left one person dead in eastern China, a day after killing four and injuring more than 600 in Taiwan, where authorities remained on alert for the possibility of a landslide.

Typhoon Megi, more than 310 miles (500km) in diameter at its largest, caused more than £7.7 million in damage as it swept across Taiwan before weakening into a tropical storm after hitting the coastal city of Quanzhou yesterday.

At its height, it was packing winds of up to 74mph (118kph), China’s National Meteorological Centre said.

One person died after several structures collapsed in Quanzhou. Schools were closed and dozens of flights cancelled.

In Fuzhou, Fujian’s capital, state television showed people wading through knee-deep water which had swamped major roads. Rescue workers were seen pulling stranded residents through the streets on inflatable boats.

In Taiwan, nearly four million homes lost power and 10 provincial highways remained closed, a day after heavy rain and sustained winds of 100mph (160kph) blanketed the island.

More than 4,800 people remained in emergency shelters yesterday.

Taiwan’s Central Emergency Operations Centre reported the 625 injured included eight Japanese tourists travelling in a tour bus which overturned in central Taiwan. Three people suffered fatal falls and a fourth person died in a truck crash.