China evacuates as storm strikes

BBC: Nearly one-million people have been evacuated from the coastal regions of China as Typhoon Morakot blew in. Winds of up 119km/h (74mph) destroyed houses and flooded farmland, before it weakened to a tropical storm.

Flights were cancelled and fishing boats recalled to shore. A small boy died when a building collapsed. Meanwhile, in Japan nine people are reported dead in floods and landslides after Typhoon Etau brought heavy rain to the west of the country.

Eight people died in Hyogo prefecture, including one man whose car was swept away by a swollen river, and another died in neighbouring Okayama prefecture. Another 10 people are missing.

Chinese state media said that the sky turned completely dark in Beibi, Fujian, when Typhoon Morakot made landfall on Sunday morning. Trees were uprooted as high winds and heavy rain lashed the coast, and more than 2,000 houses are reported to have collapsed….