China sacks officials for poor response to Typhoon Nepartak – Xinhua

Residents walk on a bridge after Typhoon Nepartak in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China, July 11, 2016.

Picture taken July 11, 2016. REUTERS/Stringer

SHANGHAI, China  – China has sacked three officials for poorly coping with super typhoon Nepartak, which killed at least 83 people and caused economic losses of over 7.1 billion yuan ($1.06 billion) in east China’s Fujian province, state news agency Xinhua reported.

Huang Shiyang, deputy party chief and acting government head of Minqing County, was suspended from his duties after the county counted 73 deaths and electricity and telecommunication services were cut in 11 towns and townships, Xinhua reported late on Sunday.

Two other lower-ranking officials were also suspended from their duties, it said. The provincial government has earmarked 170 million yuan in relief aid to the affected areas. Typhoon Nepartak made landfall in Fujian on July 9.

Typhoons are common at this time of year in the South China Sea, picking up strength over warm waters and dissipating over land.

(Reporting by Brenda Goh; Editing by Michael Perry)