Tropical storm Parma causes heavy losses in S China

A rider falls to the ground in the heavy winds and rains in Qionghai City, south China's island Province of Hainan, Oct. 12, 2009.(Xinhua/Meng Zhongde)
Tropical storm Parma has caused heavy economic losses in south China's Hainan Province since it landed Monday, the provincial government said Tuesday.

In Wenchang City alone, more than 7,600 people were relocated and the direct economic loss, mainly in the agriculture and fishing sectors, stood at 24.6 million yuan (3.6 million U.S dollars).

In Wanning City, where Parma landed early Monday, three people died and one is missing after a boat capsized off the coast.

Parma also forced shipping in the Qiongzhou Strait, which connects the island province with the mainland, to a halt from Sunday night. Services are expected to remain suspended until Tuesday night, according the Haikou maritime bureau.

Rubber tapping and fishing at sea were also suspended, according to the provincial agriculture department.

Parma made a landfall in Wanning's Longgun Township at 9:50 a.m. Monday, packing winds of up to 54 km per hour. It left Hainan and moved into the Beibu Gulf more than 12 hours later.

The tropical storm brought strong winds and rain to most parts of the province, but these were expected to ease Wednesday, according to the Hainan Provincial Observatory.

Price hikes of vegetables and seafood have been reported in markets in the provincial capital of Haikou, as suspension of navigation has led to commodity shortages.

Parma also brought wind and rain to coastal areas of Guangdong and Fujian provinces and to Taiwan.

But the rain in parts of Guangdong has not eased a drought in the province, local authorities said.

Source: Xinhua

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