VZCZCXYZ0021
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGZA #5675 2200304
ZNR UUUUU ZZH ZUI RUEWCSE2315 2201241
R 080304Z AUG 06
FM AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0000
INFO CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS GUANGZHOU 025675 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR USAID/OFDA 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID CASC SENV CH
SUBJECT: TYPHOON PRAPIROON SWEEPS THROUGH SOUTH CHINA 
 
 
REF: A) BEIJING 15315 
     B) GUANGZHOU 25021 
 
¶1. (U) TYPHOON PRAPIROON MADE LANDFALL IN SOUTHERN CHINA'S 
GUANGDONG PROVINCE ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 3RD, SWEEPING THROUGH 
AN AREA ALREADY DAMAGED BY TYPHOONS BILIS AND KAEMI (REFS A 
AND B).  NO AMCITS HAVE BEEN REPORTED KILLED OR INJURED. 
THE GOVERNMENT AND THE MEDIA REPORT A TOTAL OF 80 PEOPLE 
KILLED AND 9 MISSING.  DESPITE BEING DOWNGRADED FROM A 
TYPHOON TO A TROPICAL STORM ON AUGUST 4TH, THE STORM 
CONTINUED TO LASH SOUTHERN CHINA WITH HEAVY WINDS AND 
TORRENTIAL RAIN OVER THE WEEKEND. ESTIMATES ARE THAT 844,000 
PEOPLE WERE EVACUATED, 30,000 HOUSES COLLAPSED, AND THAT THE 
STORM AFFECTED 10 MILLION PEOPLE. 
 
¶2. (U) IN PREPARATION FOR THE STORM, FERRIES AND RAIL LINES 
BETWEEN HAINAN AND GUANGDONG WERE SUSPENDED ON THURSDAY AND 
53,000 FISHING VESSELS WERE CALLED INTO HARBOR.  AN 
ESTIMATED 530,000 PEOPLE WERE EVACUATED FROM THE STORM'S 
PROJECTED COURSE AND THE GUANGDONG PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT 
CLAIMS TO HAVE SENT WARNING MESSAGES TO 11 MILLION CELL 
PHONES TO WARN THE PUBLIC OF THE TYPHOON'S ARRIVAL. 
 
¶3. (U) GUANGDONG BORE THE BRUNT OF PRAPIROON'S FORCE.  THE 
TYPHOON MADE LANDFALL AT 7:20 PM ON THURSDAY NIGHT IN YANGXI 
AND DIANBAI COUNTIES. THE MEDIA REPORTS 54 CONFIRMED DEATHS 
IN GUANGDONG PROVINCE. DAMAGE FROM PRAPIROON IN GUANGDONG IS 
ESTIMATED AT RMB 5.4 BILLION (APPROXIMATELY USD 675 
MILLION). 
 
¶4. (U) ALTHOUGH PRAPIROON WAS DOWNGRADED FROM A TYPHOON TO A 
TROPICAL STORM ON FRIDAY, IT SWEPT WESTWARD TO THE GUANGXI 
AUTONOMOUS REGION.  FLASH FLOODS AND LANDSLIDES KILLED 26 
PEOPLE THERE.  THE GUANGXI CIVIL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT TOLD THE 
PRESS THAT PRAPIROON AFFECTED 5.1 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE 
REGION, DAMAGED 195,900 HECTARES OF FARMLAND AND TOPPLED 
9,300 HOUSES. 
 
¶5. (U) THE FULL EXTENT OF THE GOVERNMENT RESPONSE IS STILL 
UNCLEAR. THE MEDIA IS REPORTING THAT THE GUANGDONG 
PROVINCIAL TAXATION DEPARTMENT IS INSTITUTING EIGHT 
PREFERENTIAL POLICIES, INCLUDING EXEMPTION FROM INCOME TAXES 
FOR THOSE IN AREAS HIT BY THE TYPHOON. IN GUANGXI, CONCERNS 
OVER DISEASE OUTBREAKS PROMPTED THE GOVERNMENT TO SEND TEAMS 
OF HEALTH WORKERS TO THE AFFECTED AREAS TO INSTRUCT 
RESIDENTS ABOUT PROPER SANITATION. 
 
MARTIN