Thousands evacuated, fishermen missing as typhoon nears s. China

BEIJING, April 18 Kyodo

About 120,000 people have been evacuated from low-lying coastal areas of Hainan Island as Typhoon Neoguri approaches southern China, state media reported Friday.

Fifty-six fishermen are also missing after the authorities lost contact with three vessels sheltering in a reef off the coast, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

The storm is due to hit Hainan in the early hours of Saturday, Xinhua said.

Ferries between Hainan and the mainland have been suspended and nearly 22,000 fishing boats from the island and Guangdong Province have returned to port, the report added.

The authorities in Guangdong say people living in some low-lying areas in the province have also been evacuated.

Xinhua said the typhoon is expected to bring gale force winds and up to 180 millimeters of rain to some areas.

COPYRIGHT 2008 Kyodo News International, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning