Areas of southeastern China have been coping with strong winds and lashing rain caused by Typhoon Meranti, this year's most powerful storm.
Residents clean up a flooded street in Xiamen, in China's eastern Fujian province after Typhoon Meranti made landfallAFP/ Getty Images
Various parts of Fujian Provience were battered by the heavy downpours brought along by Meranti, with thousands of troops deployed to the affected areas for rescue and relief work. Power supplies have been cut off in parts of Xiamen, while areas of the city suffered water supply disruptions. Causing landfall in the Xiang'an District of Xiamen early on Thursday (15 September), Meranti is the strongest typhoon to hit Fujian Province since records began in 1949. There has been no immediate report of casualties.
Photographs on state media have shown the sheer havoc caused by the storm, with fallen trees blocking roads, flooded streets and rescuers evacuating civilians by boat.
A damaged chimney is seen at a factory before Typhoon Meranti makes a landfall on southeastern ChinaReutersStreets are seen flooded after Typhoon Meranti makes a landfall on southeastern China, in Fuzhou, Fujian province, ChinaReutersParamilitary policemen remove toppled trees after Typhoon Meranti swept through Xiamen, Fujian province, ChinaReutersA car is seen under toppled trees after Typhoon Meranti swept through Xiamen, Fujian province, ChinaReutersPeople walk past toppled trees after Typhoon Meranti swept through Xiamen, Fujian province, ChinaReutersA man rides past an overturned car in Xiamen, in China's eastern Fujian province after Typhoon Meranti makes a landfallAFP/ Getty ImagesAn overturned truck is seen on a street in Xiamen, China's eastern Fujian province, after Typhoon Meranti makes a landfallAFP/ Getty ImagesBicycles lie on street after Typhoon Meranti makes a landfall on southeastern China, in Xiamen, Fujian province, ChinaReutersA destroyed building is seen in Xiamen, in China's eastern Fujian province after Typhoon Meranti makes a landfallAFP/ Getty ImagesA man walks past a destroyed building in Xiamen in China's eastern Fujian province after Typhoon Meranti makes a landfallAFP/ Getty ImagesPeople sit on bench inside a flooded tennis court after Typhoon Meranti makes a landfall on southeastern ChinaReutersA man rides through a flooded street after Typhoon Meranti made landfall on southeastern ChinaReutersA woman pushes her electric bicycle as she wades through a flooded street after Typhoon Meranti made landfall on southeastern ChinaReuters
In Taiwan, residents and emergency service teams have been been dealing with the damage caused by Meranti since it passed the southern tip of the island on 14 September, heading for China. Several ships in Kaohsiung Harbour were capsized due to the storm, with many showing visible signs of oil leakages. During an interview with Reuters, local ship owner Kuo Fa-ming said he had no hope for his ship to be put back into operation following the heavy storm. "Untangle them here, (we will) get someone to untangle them here. We will ask a salvage company to come here and take them apart. All of them will be written off," he said.
Super Typhoon Meranti is seen approaching Taiwan in an image from the MODIS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite taken at 1:10 am. EDT (0510 GMT) on 13 September, 2016NASA/ ReutersA man stands in front of a damaged vehicle and convenience store after Typhoon Meranti made landfall, in Kaohsiung, TaiwanTyrone Siu/ ReutersShipping containers toppled by strong winds of typhoon Meranti, are pictured in Kaohsiung, TaiwanGeneral view of an overturned fishing boat in the aftermath of super typhoon Meranti, at Sizihwan in Kaohsiung, TaiwanSam Yeh/ AFPGeneral view of an overturned fishing boat in the aftermath of super typhoon Meranti, at Sizihwan in Kaohsiung, TaiwanSam Yeh/ AFPA man takes a photograph of an overturned fishing boat in the aftermath of super typhoon Meranti, at Sizihwan in Kaohsiung, TaiwanSam Yeh/ AFPGeneral view of an overturned fishing boat in the aftermath of super typhoon Meranti, at Sizihwan in Kaohsiung, TaiwanSam Yeh/ AFP
A hospital in Pingtung County, on the southern tip of Taiwan, saw major damage to its roof. Several departments will also have to undergo reconstruction due to heavy storm damages. Typhoon Meranti comes just over two months since the deadly Nepartak Typhoon, which grounded flights and forced thousands of people to flee their homes across central and south Taiwan.
