Typhoon lashes Taiwan, heads for mainland (AP) Updated: 2005-10-02 10:17
TAIPEI (Reuters) - Typhoon Longwang headed for Chinese mainland after
swirling through Taiwan on Sunday, injuring at least 34 people.
Huge waves are seen as Typhoon Longwang pounds
Taiwan's southern coast in Kaohsiung October 2, 2005.
[Reuters] | As the
storm approached, more than 200,000 people were evacuated from boats to land in
China's eastern province of Fujian, state media said.
Most of those injured in Taiwan suffered cuts from broken glass, while strong
winds lifted roofs off four homes and a university dormitory in the east coast
mountain city of Hualien, disaster response officials at Taiwan's "National Fire
Administration" said.
"The damage and casualty situation right now looks as if we have had some
good fortune in the midst of this misfortune," Premier Frank Hsieh told
reporters at the government's disaster centre.
The storm also delayed "President" Chen Shui-bian's return home after a visit
to South America, forcing him to land at Indonesia's Bali island.
The storm's eye was over the ocean west-southwest of the central city of
Taichung and the storm was headed west northwest at 18 kph (11 mph), though much
of the island remained under its influence, Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau
said.
Longwang, or "dragon king" in Chinese, had maximum sustained winds of 137 kph
(85 mph) and gusts of up to 173 kph (108 mph), but has weakened as it passed
over Taiwan's central mountains, the weather bureau said.
The centre of the storm is projected to make landfall in China's eastern
province of Fujian later on Sunday.
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| | Typhoon Longwang hits Taiwan | | | | | National Day "Golden Week" holiday | | | | | On eve of the National Day | | |
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