Typhoon Doksuri made landfall in eastern China on Friday morning, bringing severe gusts and torrential rains to coastal areas after passing through Taiwan on its way from the Philippines.
Wind speeds of up to 175 km/hr (110 miles per hour) were recorded when the storm approached the coast of Fujian province at around 10:00 am (0200 GMT).
Fears about the probable threat to citizens and property devastation prompted the national meteorological observatory on Friday to renew the most severe ‘red alert’ in its four-tier system on Friday.
Huge gusts of wind pummeled residential tower blocks in Jinjiang, a country-level urban area south of Quanzhou, according to images published on social media on Friday.
CCTV streamed live footage of a reporter trudging through flooded streets bordered by toppled trees, telling viewers in the region to stay at home except in emergencies.
Typhoon Doksuri is likely to continue heading westward over central China as its intensity gradually weakens.
Storm-force winds were expected to hit coastal regions of Taiwan, Fujian, Zhejiang, and Guangdong, among others until 8 am on Saturday.
In addition, China’s National Meteorological Center renewed an orange alert for rainstorms throughout large swaths of the country on Friday, effective from 2 pm Friday until 2 pm Saturday.
Local governments and transportation officials have been encouraged to take precautions because heavy rains are predicted to disrupt drainage systems and roads.
On Wednesday, Doksuri battered the northern Philippines, toppling trees and power pylons, and creating extensive power outages as well as landslides and floods.
The number of deaths in the Philippines has risen to 13, with another 21 people missing, including four coast guard rescuers, the national disaster agency stated on Friday.
Doksuri was a super typhoon as it roared over the Pacific Ocean this week but it weakened as it approached the Philippines.
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