The storm was the hardest to hit the southern Fujian province since 1949, according to China’s official Xinhua News Agency.
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On Thursday, Super Typhoon Meranti made landfall in southeastern China after leaving a path of destruction in Taiwan and wreaking havoc on the travel industry in both nations.
The island was also bracing for the possible impact of another tropical storm, Typhoon Malakas, which was forecast to sweep past the east coast of the island on Saturday.
Authorities warn heavy rains and strong winds will continue due to Meranti in China, with the possibility of mudslides.
A Song dynasty wooden bridge has been washed away in Yongchun County, and three historic bridges, similarly about 800 years old, have been damaged in Quanzhou. At one point, more than 3.2 million homes had no electricity in Fujian, and 1.44 million still had no power by Thursday night.
Boxes scatter on a flooded road in typhoon-hit Xiamen City, southeast China’s Fujian Province, Sept. 15, 2016.
Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated, fishing boats recalled, ferry services suspended, and many flight services were cancelled.
The high winds freed a massive “moon balloon” which got loose in Fuzhou and barrelled around the city, causing havoc for motorists and pedestrians.
The new storm arrives as Taiwan’s southern communities are still recovering from typhoon Meranti’s arrival on Wednesday, which left two people dead and 63 injured on the island. “It did a good thing for China”, he said.
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When it made landfall over mainland China, the storm’s maximum sustained winds were 145 miles per hour (230 kph) with gusts of up to 175 miles per hour (280 kph).
