The eye of typhoon Aere will move northwestward after sweeping
past a sea area off Taipei and will hit east China coastal areas
between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs issued emergency typhoon warnings
to east China's Fujian,
Zhejiang
and Jiangxi
provinces yesterday.
The ministry also sent rescue teams to Fujian and Zhejiang
provinces to supervise and guide front-line rescue work.
The provincial government of Zhejiang Province, which was lashed
by typhoon Rananim two weeks ago, has called on all sectors to work
together to withstand the latest weather threat.
The reconstruction work of many dyke walls collapsed during the
last attack.
Due to its coinciding with the spring tide, the typhoon would
bring the surface wind along the Qiantang River to force 5 to 6,
strong enough to pose a danger to ships, said local meteorological
reports.
Pan Jinsong, a senior official at the Zhejiang Meteorological
Observatory said this typhoon is possibly weaker than Rananim,
which was blamed for 164 deaths and damages totaling 18.128 billion
yuan (US$2.18 billion).
However, typhoon Chaba, the 17th typhoon of the year that
skipped past Guam and curved northwards, and typhoon Aere may have
affected each other, which makes accurate predictions difficult,
Pan added.
In Fujian Province, residents in Ningde, Fuzhou and Quanzhou
cities were warned to be alert to possible earthquakes caused by
the typhoon.
Heavy to torrential rains are expected in most parts of the
province, and ships have been called back to harbor.
Typhoon Aere pounded northern Taiwan with torrential rains and
powerful winds yesterday, causing widespread disruption to air and
sea transport.
Financial markets, public offices and schools were closed in
most cities and counties in northern, central and northeastern
parts of the island.
A jetliner carrying 100 passengers slid off the runway while
landing in strong wind and heavy rain yesterday morning. Nobody was
injured.
According to local media, power was cut off in more than 20,000
homes. The typhoon is expected to affect the province for two more
days.
Hong Kong radio stations reported yesterday that the typhoon has
left two people dead and three others missing.
Aere, which means storm in the language of the Marshall Islands
in the Pacific Ocean, is the 18th Typhoon of the year.
(China Daily August 25, 2004)