Tyhoon Morakot has landed in the coastal area of Beibei in Fujian with heavy rain and winds of 118.5 kmp/h. The typhoon has already dumped 100 inches of rain on Taiwan in just 24 hours this weekend. Dozens are lost, and it is reported several have died in this storm. Morakot, which claimed 21 lives when it hit the Philipines on Friday, is the first major storm to hit Taiwan during this year's typhoon season which runs from July to September.

In China weather stations issued a "red alert" - the highest possible - in anticipation of Morakot's arrival which is expected to bring winds in excess of 70mph.

Early reports said that parts of Fujian already had 12 inches of rain from early Saturday until Sunday morning, Xinhua added.

More than 490,000 residents of Zhejiang and 480,000 residents of Fujian have been relocated and some 35,440 ships called back from the sea. So far; 155 passenger ship sailings and 34 domestic flights have been cancelled. Most major highways have also been shut down as a preventitive measure.

Beijing Airport has confirmed that airlines have canceled their flights bound for Fujian and Zhejiang provinces in east China. Precaution measures were put in place, there were no major passenger delays.



Some villages in Fujian and Zhejiang were already becoming cut off by rising waters, with official riding bicycles to distribute drinking water and instant noodles to affected households, according to Xinhua, the Chinese state news agency. Many villagers from these regions have been on rescue missions to save the fish they have bred from the fish farms.

Photo Source
Huffington Post
Shanghai Daily
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