Typhoon Rammasun hits China, leaving 17 dead and causing billions of RMB in damage

Rammasun, the strongest typhoon to hit south China in 41 years, brought winds reaching 216kmph to the southern coast on Friday afternoon and has left death and destruction in its wake.

17 people have been confirmed dead in China, adding to a death-toll of 94 when the typhoon hit the Philippines earlier this week.

In addition to these fatalities, 5.57 million people have been affected by Rammasun in Guangdong and Hainan provinces and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The typhoon seriously damaged power and water supplies, telecommunications networks, ports and roads, making rescue work more difficult.

In Hainan, the typhoon destroyed about 51,000 houses and 40,600 hectares of crop, inflicting economic losses of over RMB10.8 billion and more than 1.13 million households were cut off electricity.

The provincial government has allocated RMB100 million to help the worst-hit areas.

Guangxi, which is still under the spell of the typhoon, has reported a direct economic loss of RMB1.63 billion so far.

According to meteorological authorities, Rammasun is expected to continue moving northwest bringing heavy rainfall to the west of Hainan and Yunnan Province.