By Monday morning the death toll from Typhoon Saomai had risen to 214 with a further 56 bodies discovered in Fuding City of southeast China's Fujian Province.

 

Over 160 people still remain missing after Saomai brought havoc to eastern provinces including Fujian, Zhejiang and Jiangxi.

 

In Fuding, the worst hit city in Fujian, a total 97 bodies were recovered from the sea. Twenty-seven of them remain unidentified.

 

Officials with Fujian flood control and drought relief headquarters said many people died when the powerful typhoon broke the moorings on their vessels after they'd sought shelter in harbor.

 

Local authorities and residents continue to search for those reported missing.

 

The Fuding death toll update brings total fatalities in Fujian to 125. Another 108 people have been reported missing in the province.

 

Previous reports listed 87 dead and 52 missing in Zhejiang where Saomai struck and two dead and one missing in nearby Jiangxi.

 

According to the China Meteorological Administration (CMA), another two tropical storms, Sonamu and Wukong, are respectively located at latitude 18.1 north, longitude 129.9 east and latitude 26.4 north, longitude 138.0 east. CMA experts believe they'll not affect China in the next couple of days.

 

In another development, a heat wave continues in southwest and west China, affecting more than 14 million people in Chongqing and 3.1 million in Sichuan Province, and causing estimated losses of 9.23 billion yuan (US$1.15 billion). A shortage of drinking water is worsening. 

 

(Xinhua News Agency August 14, 2006)