East China braces for weakening storm Kalmaegi, 180,000 evacuated

FUZHOU, July 18 (Xinhua) -- China's eastern coastal Fujian Province has evacuated 180,000 people and called 35,000 fishing vessels back to harbor to brace for weakening tropical storm Kalmaegi which has killed at least six people in Taiwan. As of 10 a.m. Friday, the province had evacuated nearly 30,000 workers in the coastal waters and 150,000 people on 35,000 fishingvessels returning to harbor, the provincial flood control authorities said. Kalmaegi made landfall near Ilan in northern Taiwan late on Thursday with heavy rain. At least six people have been reported dead on the island.The storm also damaged many key roads and affected rail services in some areas on the island. Kalmaegi weakened into a severe tropical storm at 2 a.m. Friday. It left Taiwan at around 7 a.m. and was forecast to strike the coastal areas between the... [read full story]