Officials:  Typhoon Kills 45 in Southern China

The Associated Press

 

SHANGHAI, China (AP) - Typhoon Maria killed at least 45 people and caused $223 billion in damage when it roared through two southern Chinese provinces, officials said Tuesday.

 

In coastal Guandong, Maria caused 21 deaths and damage totaling $145 million when it struck Friday, said an official of the provincial weather bureau.

 

A cargo ship sank in the port of Shanwei, leaving two crew members missing, and scores of reservoirs and dikes were damaged, said the official, He Xiajiang.  He said more than 7,000 houses were damaged.

 

In the neighboring inland province of Hunan, a landslide killed 24 people in the city of Chunzhou, the Hunan Meteorology Station said.

 

Losses in Hunan totaled $78 million, with Chunzhou and the city of Zhuzhou as the hardest-hit areas, the station said.

 

The typhoon was the third and deadliest to lash China in less than two weeks.  The previous two, Prapiroon and Bilis, killed at least 29 people.