Typhoon claims seven lives in China

Typhoon Kalmaegi has left at least seven people dead and one missing and caused huge economic losses since it came ashore in south China Tuesday, authorities said Wednesday.

Four people were killed by falling trees, one died when a building collapsed and one was drowned in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Xinhua reported citing the regional civil affairs department.

In Hainan Province, one person died and another was missing after the storm brought strong winds and rainstorms to the island, said Chen Wu, deputy head of the provincial flood control headquarters, Wednesday.

Kalmaegi has affected more than 2.8 million people and caused 5.78 billion yuan ($940 million) in direct economic losses in agriculture, fisheries, road and water facilities in Hainan, said the official.

In Chengmai county of Hainan, 835 of 1,394 fishing boats which returned to harbour for shelter sank due to the typhoon.

"This time, we lost all our basic family property," said Huang Yongkuan, a fisherman in Chengmai. His fishing vessel was worth 100,000 yuan.

The typhoon, the 15th typhoon to hit China this year, made landfall in Hainan at a speed of 40 metres per second at 9.40 a.m. Tuesday and then Guangdong Province.

More than 1,000 houses collapsed and millions of people were affected in Guangdong, Hainan and Guangxi. Direct economic losses in Guangdong were to the tune of one billion yuan, said the provincial civil affairs department.