An ancient castle in east China dating back 370 years has collapsed after being hit by typhoons that continued to sweep the area over the past three months.

Nine houses in the Caipu Castle, in Yunxiao County of Fujian Province, fell down after being soaked in flood for weeks while more than 200 square meters of the outer wall collapsed, a county cultural official said Sunday.

"Fortunately nobody was injured or killed," said Tang Yuxian, curator of the county museum.

The moat has often flooded the castle since mid May when typhoon Chanchu slashed southern and eastern China, followed by Bilis and Kaemi that set off flood and landslides to kill hundred of people.

There are more than 200 families living in the castle 500 meter in circumference.

The Caipu Castle was built in 1636 and was the only round castle made of a mixture of lime, clay and sand that still exists in Fujian, said Tang.

It is valuable for the research of the local people's struggle against Japanese pirates during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Tang added.

The ancient people of the Ming Dynasty in Fujian set up castles as a means to defend against Japanese pirates haunting China's southern and eastern coast.

The Yunxiao county government has begun salvage work at the site. It is estimated to cost at least 200,000 yuan (US$25,000) to fully repair the castle.

(Xinhua News Agency August 7, 2006)