14 Jul 2013

Typhoon Soulik batters Fujian province

5:17 am on 14 July 2013

China has evacuated more than 300,000 people and drafted in 5500 soldiers as Typhoon Soulik batters the mainland.

the National Meteorological Centre said on its website typhoon hit Fujian province on Saturday with windspeeds of up to 118km per hour.

"(It) is currently moving northwest at 20 to 25km/h and is expected to enter neighbouring Jiangxi Province after midnight," Xinhua news agency reported.

Fishing boats operations in the ports of Fuzhou, Xiamen and Meishou Bay were suspended, the agency added.

Public transport in Ningde City is suspended and 142 flights have been cancelled at Changle international airport at Fuzhou since Friday night.

China National Radio said a total of 31 high-speed train services in coastal areas of Fujian have also been suspended.

Southwestern regions of China has been battered by torrential rains and landslides which have left more than 200 people dead or missing in recent days.

Landslides and floods in Sichuan province had killed 31 people by Thursday, with 166 more missing.

The typhoon has slowed since left Taiwan, where one person was killed and at least 30 were injured after it struck the island early on Saturday.