Typhoon Gaemi Hits China, Wreaks Huge Economic Losses

Typhoon Gaemi, the third typhoon of this year, made its second landfall on the evening of July 25, state-run China Global Television Network (CGTN) reported.

As of 6 am local time on July 26, Gaemi had affected 6,28,600 people in the Chinese province of Fujian, causing economic losses amounting to $1.58 million. There have been no reports of casualties or major disaster-related incidents, CGTN said.

China activated its highest-tier disaster warning as the storm made its way to its shores on Thursday evening local time.

Chinese President Xi Jinping chaired a meeting with the Communist Party's top leadership on flood control and disaster relief plans, state media reported.

Al Jazeera reported that 2,40,800 people in Fujian were evacuated before its arrival.

Despite slightly weakening since its landfall in Fujian's Putian, a city of more than 3 million people, Gaemi and its giant storm bands are forecast to unleash intense rainfall in at least 10 Chinese provinces in the coming days, it said.

Earlier in the week, Typhoon Gaemi caused flooding and landslides across Taiwan and the Philippines, killing at least 21 people, according to a report on the BBC website.

The Philippines said it was "racing against time" to contain an oil spill after a tanker carrying 1.5 million litres of industrial fuel capsized and sank off the country's coast on Thursday. Rescuers are said to have saved 15 of the 16 crew members. The ship was one of two which sank in the region on Thursday, with the second going down just off Taiwan's south-western coast.

In Taiwan, Gaemi killed three persons, triggered flooding and sank a freighter after making landfall on Wednesday night.

Some parts of southern Taiwan are expected to have recorded rainfall of 2,200 mm since Tuesday. The storm cut power to about half a million households although most are now back online, utility Taipower said.