Update | Fujian, Zhejiang reel in wake of Typhoon Fitow
Five reported dead and thousands of homes destroyed as late storm lashes eastern provinces
Typhoon Fitow barrelled into the country's east coast early yesterday, packing winds in excess of 200km/h as hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated and bullet train services suspended, state media reported.
Parts of the province near Shanghai saw nearly 290mm of rain over 17 hours from Sunday to early yesterday, while areas in Fujian to the south saw up to 160mm, China News Service said.
At least two men died in Wenzhou , a major city in Zhejiang. Xinhua said a rescuer was "blown off a hill" by a strong gust late on Sunday. Another man died when his duck breeding facility collapsed on him. Three people in Ruian city were electrocuted to death.
Two port workers in Wenzhou were missing and may have fallen into the sea, Xinhua said.
State radio reported that more than 1,200 homes in the province had collapsed. Authorities evacuated hundreds of thousands of people and issued the nation's highest alert on Sunday as Typhoon Fitow approached the mainland.
The National Meteorological Centre issued a red alert for the storm, which was packing winds of up to 151km/h late Sunday night as it moved towards the coast. Winds of 200km/h were later recorded in parts of Wenzhou, according to Xinhua, which cited local flood control authorities.