China: Typhoon Talim OCHA Situation Report No. 2

Ref: OCHA/GVA - 2005/139

OCHA Situation Report No. 2
Typhoon Talim - Floods

This situation report is based on information received from the United Nations Resident Coordinator's office in Beijing and other media reports.

1. The total damage of Typhoon Talim, which triggered flooding and landslides in central China, is now revealed. According to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Typhoon Talim has affected 19,624 million people, leaving129 persons dead and 30 missing. Approximately 102,000 housing units have been collapsed and 278,000 damaged. Some 1,84 million people have been evacuated.

2. A total of 1.27 million ha of crops have been affected and 261,000 ha of crops have been lost. The direct economic loss is estimated at CNY 15.46 billion (approximately USD 1.90 billion). The situation in the provinces of Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi, Henan and Hubei has been stable since 8 September.

3. In Anhui, one of the worst hit provinces, 63 people have been reported dead and 18 others missing. Anhui was hit by heavy rainstorms from 1 to 3 September. Areas covering 270,000 square km in the province experienced rainfall exceeding 100 mm and some reservoir areas had rainfall of over 600 mm. The heavy rainstorms caused by the typhoon generated mud-rock flows and landslides on 3,000 sites in the province. 61 reservoirs reached alarming water level.

National Response

4. The Government has not requested international assistance up to this date.

5. In Anhui, more than 25,000 officials and one million residents worked to fight the flood and kept guard on local river embankments.

6. OCHA is in close contact with the UN Resident Coordinator's Office in Beijing and will revert with further information as it becomes available. This situation report, together with further information on ongoing emergencies, is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int.

MAP: Typhoon Talim - Floods - Situation map

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Mr. Masaaki Nakagawa, direct Tel. +41-22-917 4034
Ms. Masayo Kondo, direct Tel. +41-22-917 1997

Press contact:
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(N.Y.) Ms. Stephanie Bunker, direct Tel. +1-917 367 5126