Beijing: At least 63 people were killed and more than 1,800 injured when a powerful typhoon battered Eastern China's Zhejiang province, local officials said today (Aug 13, 2004).

Typhoon Rananim, the 14th this year, also left 15 people missing and tore down over 2,200 houses, a local newspaper reported.

Meanwhile, 63 fishing boats with more than 60 people on board were trapped at sea.

Xinhua news agency reported that over four lakh people were evacuated before the typhoon hit the province yesterday (Aug 12, 2004).

Rananim first landed on Shitang Township in the city of Wenling at 8 pm with winds moving at a speed of 45 metres per second, bringing the rainstorm to most parts of the province. The precipitation was as much as 200 millimetres in some areas.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has asked local authorities to make full preparations to prevent casualties and reduce losses to the minimum, 'China Daily' reported.

Meanwhile, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters issued a typhoon emergency alert for the eight provinces and municipalities in Eastern and central China yesterday.

Shitang Township was plunged into darkness when power was cut off and signals from telephone and mobile phone services were reported dead.

Strong rainfall hit most coastal areas in Zhejiang. This typhoon could be stronger than the No 17th typhoon in 1997, which caused 236 deaths and a direct economic loss of $ 2.38 billion, experts with Zhejiang Provincial Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said.