2 killed, 1 missing as typhoon-triggered flood hits east Chinese province

Two people have been confirmed dead and another remains missing after a typhoon-triggered flood hit parts of Fuzhou City, east China’s Fujian Province, in the early hours of Tuesday.

At around 4:15 a.m., a fire engine carrying nine rescuers was swept away in Chili Village, Yongtai County, by floodwaters during a rescue operation, according to the National Fire and Rescue Administration.

As of approximately 5 p.m. Tuesday, eight firefighters have been rescued. Six are in stable condition and two have been confirmed dead despite rescue efforts. A search for the missing person is underway, according to the Fuzhou city fire and rescue department.

Typhoon Haikui, the 11th typhoon of this year, landed in the coastal area of Dongshan County of Fujian at around 5:20 a.m., bringing gales of up to 20 meters per second near its center, the Fujian provincial meteorological observatory said.

Fuzhou has been hit by heavy rainfall due to Haikui. From 6 a.m. Monday to 6 a.m. Tuesday, the 24-hour rainfall in areas such as Yongtai exceeded 300 millimeters.