The death toll rises to 17 people as Typhoon Soudelor hits mainland China, pummeling the provinces of Zhejiang and Fujian. "In neighbouring Zhejiang province 14 were killed. The official news agency Xinhua quoted local officials as saying that the dead and missing may have been washed away by floods or buried under ruined homes," according to the Guardian. Five people are still missing.
Typhoon Soudelor hit Taiwan on Aug. 8, killing six people and injuring hundreds, as previously reported by HNGN. By Sunday, upon arriving in mainland China, Typhoon Soudelor downgraded to tropical storm hitting China with heavy rains and fierce winds.
Typhoon Soudelor caused more than $1 billion in economic damages which resulted in power outages in two million homes.
Even though Typhoon Soudelor has already weakened, damaging winds and flooding are still expected since it will retain its Category 3 hurricane over landfall. "A lot of flying debris, a lot of tree damage and along the coastal areas, the waves had inundated the low-lying areas, damaging the roads in places as well as some vulnerable properties which were right by the coast," said James Reynolds, storm chaser and Founder of Earth Uncut TV, according to CNN.
