Typhoon Fitow wreaks havoc in E China province

Ten people were killed and five others remain missing in Wenzhou City after Typhoon Fitow brought heavy rains to east China's Zhejiang province, local authorities announced on Wednesday.

Among the dead, eight died of electric shocks, including a family of three, according to a statement from the government of Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province.

Two men died after their car plunged into a river, said the statement.

Typhoon Fitow, which made landfall in Fujian Province, just south of Zhejiang, early on Monday, has triggered heavy rain in the region, inundating roads and houses, and causing river breaches and power failures.

As of 11 a.m. on Wednesday, 254,746 households in Zhejiang Province had no power supply. About 10,000 workers are repairing electrical facilities in the province.

The typhoon has affected 7 million people in 11 cities in Zhejiang, causing direct economic losses of 12.4 billion yuan (2 billion U.S.dollars)as of 10 p.m. on Monday, according to the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters.

The county-level city of Yuyao, which is administered by Ningbo City, has been severely affected in the recent typhoon-triggered storms.h As of Wednesday, over 70 percent of the downtown area of the city had been flooded. Over 830,000 people from 21 townships in the city have been affected, though no casualties have been reported so far, according to the local government.

Fitow has brought once-in-a-century rainfall to Yuyao City. As of 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Yuyao City had seen record precipitation of 499.9 mm.

Many cars were immersed in flood waters more than one meter deep on the streets in downtown Yuyao City. Power, tap water and communication have been cut off in most areas of the city. Schools, government organs and factories have been suspended, and some residents are suffering food and drinking water shortages, according to Xinhua reporters at the scene.

Pan Yinhao, executive vice mayor of Yuyao, said the flood water is not expected to recede completely until Saturday due to the deep water and poor drainage.

The city government said it will make every effort to ensure the basic livelihood of people affected by the disaster. Relief goods and necessities have been distributed to the local people.

Xinhua reporters found that many volunteers rushed to Yuyao City to help with the relief and rescue work.

The rain stopped in many parts of Zhejiang on Wednesday, bringing relief for the rescue efforts.