Still reeling from a typhoon that left at least 28 people dead, Chinese authorities on Saturday warned of high waves and strong winds from a new storm, Malakas, that was bearing down on the east coast of the Chinese mainland after skirting Taiwan.
China’s National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center warned of waves as high as 40 feet off Taiwan’s east coast, and southern and central parts of the East China Sea, and 14-foot ones off the coastal regions of Zhejiang and Fujian provinces, the official Xinhua news agency reported.
As the storm approached, forecasters raised the alert level to orange, the second highest level.
Earlier this week, Typhoon Meranti, the strongest storm to hit China this year, lashed a wide swath of the country’s coastal areas, including Shanghai, with heavy rain and winds up to 175 miles per hour. It struck Xiamen City, in Fujian province Thursday morning.
Fujian flood control authorities said 18 people died and 11 others were missing. Ten died and four were missing in neighboring Zhejiang province, Xinhua reported. More than 900 houses collapsed in Zhejiang alone, as high winds and heavy rain slammed the area.
The news agency said Meranti paralyzed several cities in southern Fujian province, including Xiamen, Quanzhou and Zhangzhou.
Click here to read more.
SOURCE: USA Today, Doug Stanglin
BCNN1 WP 