Asian typhoon kills two people

TAIPEI, Taiwan, July 28 (UPI) -- The Asian typhoon Fung-wong hit Taiwan Monday, killing at least two people and leaving six more injured, authorities said.

The storm caused street flooding, knocked out power to tens of thousands of homes, halted rail and air service, and forced the closure of the island country's stock market, schools and offices, The Independent reported online. Fung-wong, Cantonese for "Phoenix," was headed toward China's Fujian province, the newspaper said.

The fatalities in Taiwan included a 69-year-old man who died when winds blew him off the roof of a shed as he tried to repair it, The China Post reported. The second victim was a 55-year-old woman who drowned after falling into an irrigation ditch with her motorbike, the newspaper said.

President Ma Ying-jeou urged residents to be careful because of the threat of floods and mudslides.

"We must maintain a high level of vigilance," Ma said.

Three people were missing after Fung-wong struck the northern Philippines during the weekend, causing widespread flooding, landslides and power outages, rescue officials said.

In China, authorities said more than 274,000 people had been evacuated by Sunday in Fujian province.

Xinhua reported nearly 52,500 fishing boats also had returned to port.

The storm, which the Central Weather Bureau said packed 88-mph winds when it reached Taiwan, was gusting up to 97 mph as it headed toward the Chinese mainland.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International