341 trains cancelled as typhoon 'Nepartak' set to hit China

China today cancelled 341 trains in its southeastern Fujian province as the country braced for this year’s first typhoon Nepartak approaching the mainland with authorities issuing an early-warning response for disaster relief preparations.

At least 160 people have been killed and 28 others were missing due to heavy rains and floods in a number of provinces in the last few weeks ahead of the typhoon. In Hubei, the worst hit province, 69 people have lost their lives and 16 others were missing, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Typhoon Nepartak is expected to make landfall in the coast of Fujian tomorrow morning, bringing gales and heavy rains to the province and neighbouring regions. From today to Monday, precipitation could be up to 300 mm.

Earlier, transport authorities in Fujian have ordered to halt the Fujian-Taiwan ferry service from yesterday and fishing boats from Fujian, Guangdong and Zhejiang have been ordered back to port. Typhoon Nepartak is expected to worsen the flooding situation with many rivers and lakes were already flowing above the warning levels.

Floods and landslides have forced the evacuation of 1.84 million people, levelled 56,000 houses and destroyed 560,500 hectares of crops. Authorities estimated economic losses of USD 8.6 billion.