With Typhoon Nepartak, China has experienced the worst flood since 1998. (Photo : Getty Images)
Three Chinese officials were suspended for delivering poor response to Typhoon Nepartak, which caused huge casualties in the eastern province of Fujian, state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.
The authorities sacked include Huang Shiyang, deputy Party chief and the acting Minqing County government head; Lin Yuanhui, the Party chief of Bandong town; and Zhan Qiaoying, the town's deputy Party chief.
Data from the city government noted that as of Sunday afternoon, the typhoon has claimed the lives of at least 83 people and has left 19 others missing in Fuzhou, the provincial capital.
It was also reported that more than 200,000 people from Fuzhou's five counties and districts were affected by the typhoon.
Authorities also revealed that the total cost of direct economic losses has already surpasses 7.1 billion yuan ($ 1.1 billion).
One of the worst-hit areas was Minqing County, where about one-third of its whole population was immensely affected.
The Xinhua article stated that 11 of its towns and townships saw a cut-off in their power as well as telecommunication services.
The death toll in the region has reached 73, while 17 more were reported missing.
Typhoon Nepartak, which has previously damaged China's neighboring regions, made landfall in the Fujian Province on July 9.
Though the typhoon, the first to hit this year, had weakened into a tropical storm during its landing in the province, the state media noted that the officials' "inadequate response" has led to the significant amount of losses.
As of writing, the provincial government has already earmarked a total of 170 million yuan worth of relief fund to be doled out in disaster-hit locations.
Regarded as the typhoon that brought the worst flood experience in China since 1998, Nepartak has killed up to 230 people in the country overall.
