The death toll from Typhoon Talim could be as high as 73, according to Xinhua News Agency reports. In addition, direct economic losses from torrential rains, floods and landslides are estimated to be 7.8 billion yuan (US$960 million), mainly in east China's Fujian, Zhejiang, Anhui and Jiangxi provinces.

In worst hit Anhui, at least 53 people were killed when heavy rains lashed the province on Thursday.

Rainstorms and heavy flows of mud and rock also destroyed 17,200 homes, damaged 61,100 buildings and affected more than 130,000 hectares of cropland, according to an official with the Anhui Provincial Disaster Relief Office. The province evacuated 168,100 people.

The provincial government has allocated 8 million yuan (US$986,440) in relief funds for affected areas. The provincial civil affairs bureau distributed 400 tents and other relief materials.

In Yuexi and Jinzhai counties, close to the Dabie Mountain area, about 400,000 people and 46,000 hectares of cropland were affected.

In Yuexi County, where a landslide occurred, more than 10,000 homes were damaged and transportation links were cut off.

In Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, the typhoon killed 15, China News Agency reported.

According to statistics, in Wenzhou and Lishui, a total of 2.22 million people in 18 counties have been affected. Meanwhile, 11,789 houses were destroyed. The direct loss was estimated at 3.42 billion yuan (US$421.7 million), the local government said.

Xinhua said the typhoon weakened on Friday as it passed further inland into Jiangxi Province.

However, Talim was no less destructive as parts of Jiujiang city, situated about 20 kilometers from Lushan Mountain, were flooded by heavy downpours.

At about 10:00 PM on Friday, a mudslide triggered by the typhoon at the Lushan Mountain area buried two buildings with 21 people in them.

One was found dead by the time rescue teams reached him. Five others were injured. The remaining 15 are still missing.

With little respite in sight, Typhoon Nabi, set to become the 14th tropical storm to hit China this year, is making its way towards east China's Zhejiang Province today, according to a provincial meteorological station.

Moving northwest at a speed of 20 kilometers per hour, Nabi was on Sunday packing force 12 winds.

(China Daily September 5, 2005)