Typhoon Bilis landed in eastern Fujian Province Friday noon, said sources with
the Fujian Provincial Meteorological Observatory.
The typhoon landed in Xiapu County, 220 kilometers northeast to
Fuzhou, capital city of Fujian.
Top wind speed near the center was 30 meters per second. It is
heading northwestward at a speed of 15 kilometers per hour.
Other provinces are bracing for the typhoon.
In Fujian, 256,000 people have been evacuated to safe places and
42,000 ships on the sea have been called back.
The provincial educational bureau ordered that schools should
suspend classes and cancel all outdoor activities. All scenic parks
have been closed.
In Zhejiang Province where Bilis brought strong
winds measuring at 10 to 12 degrees on the Beaufort Scale on the
sea and 8 to 10 degrees on the land, 70,000 people in dangerous
places have been evacuated and 180,000 ships have been called back
to shore by 6?AM Friday.
Torrential rain has hit Zhejiang since Thursday noon. Maximum
rainfall reached 184 millimeters in Wenzhou City, southeast of the
province.
The provincial government has made emergency plans to deal with
possible natural disasters triggered by the typhoon.
(Xinhua News Agency July 14, 2006)?