The city's first landslide on record occurred at 4:40 am in eastern Hangzhou following four days of continuous rain.

Mud and rocks rolling downhill burst the walls of a construction site and buried a temporary workers' shed.

Local police said 22 workers, who apparently were asleep at the time, were killed on the spot.

Seven others, dug out from the mud, were sent to nearby hospitals. Two remained in critical condition by last night.

"Although the city is in its rainy season, which usually last a month starting from early June to early July, continuous rain for more than 90 hours has been disastrous," said Shi Guanyun, head of the local flood control headquarters.

In another development, Fujian Province officials continued to respond to damage caused when the typhoon killed at least 73 people and left 87 others missing on Sunday.

Provincial Governor Xi Jinping and Party chief Song Defu called for local agencies and communities to help neighbors in distress and to work to resume factory operations quickly.

People in the stricken areas are being supplied with food, clothes and medicine, officials said.

Survivors of the dead will receive money from the local governments as relief.

Local governments have allocated 20 million yuan (US$ 2.4 million) to help people in the stricken areas.

(China Daily 06/27/2001)