At least 3 people missing as Typhoon Haikui hits eastern, southern China

September 5, 2023

- Fire truck carrying 9 people swept away by floodwaters during rescue operation in eastern Fujian Province's Yongtai County, but 6 rescued, reports media

By Islamuddin Sajid

ANKARA (AA) - At least three people have gone missing following their fire truck was swept away by floodwaters after Typhoon Haikui hit the east and south of China, causing heavy rain and wind, state-run media reported on Tuesday.

A fire truck carrying nine people was swept away by floodwaters during a rescue operation in Chili Village of Yongtai County in China's eastern Fujian Province, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Six of them have been rescued so far, but three are still missing, it said.

Typhoon Haikui, the 11th typhoon of the year, made landfall on the coasts of China's Fujian Province and south China's Guangdong Province early Tuesday morning, bringing heavy rain and winds of up to 20 and 18 meters per second near its center.

On Monday, local authorities also canceled multiple train operations and closed schools in different cities in the country’s southeast coastal areas after the typhoon crossed Taiwan on Sunday, in which at least 40 people were injured in 732 reported incidents, according to the Chinese state media.

The South China Sea Forecasting and Disaster Reduction Center also issued a yellow alert for large waves, warning of a storm surge of 30-70 centimeters along the eastern coast of Guangdong and 3-5-meter-high waves in the northeastern part of the South China Sea.

Heavy rain is expected to continue until Wednesday, the weather agency forecasted.

Meanwhile, the Chinese government has immediately allocated 200 million yuan ( about $20.74 million) in funds to the five affected regions, which include Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang, Guangxi, and Hainan.