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Sally Roberts

Earthquake, storms batter Southeast Asia

August 11, 2009 - 3:51pm


SHIZUOKA, Japan—A 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck Tuesday near the south coast city of Shizuoka, Japan, causing damage in and around the area, according to modeling firm Risk Management Solutions Inc.

At least 69 people were injured and another seven were killed by the quake, said Newark, Calif.-based RMS, which is tracking the event.

In Tokyo, about 110 miles southwest of the quake’s epicenter, a nuclear power plant was closed, train services were suspended and highways were shut down for inspections, but there were no immediate reports of major damage, RMS said.

Meanwhile, Taiwan and southeast China were cleaning up from Tropical Storm Morakot. The storm slammed into Taiwan on Friday as a typhoon with sustained winds up to 92 mph and causing some of the worst flooding in 50 years, RMS said. The storm made landfall in southeast China late Sunday with about 50 mph maximum sustained winds that caused flooding, property damage and an unknown number of casualties, RMS said.

As of Tuesday, 41 people were confirmed dead in Taiwan with 62 reported missing, RMS said. Widespread flooding and mudslides disrupted railway lines and roads, cut power and water supplies, and caused bridges to collapse. The storm had a devastating effect on Taiwan’s agriculture, with banana crops the most severely affected, RMS said.

Heavy rains associated with Morakot also affected the Philippines on Friday, triggering flash floods and landslides that killed at least 12 people, including three tourists, RMS said.

Another tropical storm, Etau, is expected to head toward the open waters of the West Pacific and away from Japan over the next 36 hours, RMS said. The storm brought heavy rainfall to western Japan, triggering landslides and floods and killing at least 26.

 



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