Powerful typhoon Damrey hits southern China
(AFP)
Updated: 2005-09-26 16:14

The storm was expected to hover over Hainan until the evening as it headed westward over the Gulf of Tonkin toward Vietnam and China's neighboring Guangxi province, meteorological officials said.

Thousands were evacuated from coastal villages on Hainan and in southern Guangdong province, where a three meter-high tide flooded a village in Xuwen County.

Sixty-seven flights were cancelled at Hainan's Milan International Airport, leaving some 5,000 passengers stranded on Sunday, Xinhua news agency cited airport officials as saying.

Airport officials said only two planes had taken off Monday morning and up to 166 flights would be re-routed or delayed throughout the day.

Premier Wen Jiabao has ordered officials in southern China to brace for Damrey and ensure that emergency measures were in place.

"We must closely monitor the movements of the typhoon and make full preparations for the safety of reservoirs, step up work on protecting against landslides and flooding in mountainous regions and encourage sea vessels to return to ports," Wen was quoted as saying Sunday.

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