Typhoon Fitow kills at least 5 people in eastern China

Typhoon Fitow hit eastern China killing at least five people, with four others missing, local media report.

The powerful storm hit China’s eastern coast early on Monday, with winds of up to 151km/h.

The cyclone flattened houses, flooded villages and farms, and affected more than 4.5 million people, officials said.

Typhoon Fitow has caused economic losses of more than 21 billion yuan ($3.4 billion), officials in Fujian and Zhejiang provinces said.

Two people died in Wenzhou, in Zhejiang province, state-run news agency Xinhua reported.

Three people in Ruian, also in Zhejiang, died from electric shocks, the agency added.

Rescue operations were underway, with footage on state television showing stranded residents being picked up by speed boats.

State media described shrimp farms and seaweed farms being damaged by the storm and powerful winds.

“We have basically lost everything this year,” a seaweed farmer told reporters.

Typhoon Fitow – named after a flower – made landfall at 01:15 local time on Monday in the city of Fuding, Chinese meteorologists said.

It triggered the evacuation of hundreds of thousands in Zhejiang and Fujian, and caused transport chaos as train, coach and flight services were cancelled.

Typhoon Fitow came just weeks after Typhoon Usagi killed at least 25 people in southern Guangdong province.