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Toll in China typhoon rises to 50

BEIJING: Typhoon Longwang killed at least 50 persons in China with dozens still missing late on Tuesday, including 59 members of a paramilitary police brigade swept away by raging floodwaters, state media said. The typhoon slammed into southeastern China late on Sunday with winds of 119 kmph. It was downgraded on Monday to a tropical storm, but not before raining havoc on low-lying coastal areas. The missing paramilitary officers, members of China's armed force in charge of domestic security, were in a training school barracks in Fujian province when violent floods washed them away and destroyed two buildings, state media said. President Hu Jintao ordered that no efforts be spared to search for them, state newspapers reported. By late on Tuesday, emergency workers had retrieved 50 bodies in Fujian, China Central Television reported. The typhoon also killed at least one person on the island of Taiwan before hitting mainland China. Chinese authorities had evacuated more than 500,000 people from coastal areas ahead of the storm, forcing boats to return to harbour and closing tourist sites. — AP

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