Typhoon Bilis which swept east China's Zhejiang Friday has caused 693 million yuan (US$86.6 million) worth of direct economic loss to the province, said the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters Saturday.

However, there were no reports on casualties in the province.

About 1.75 million people were affected by the typhoon and 685 houses collapsed, the headquarters said. The province evacuated 268,000 people and called 22,500 ships back to port.

Some transport, power and communication facilities as well as farmland were flooded.

The headquarters said Bilis brought about wind measuring nine to 11 on the Beaufort Scale on the sea nearby and wind measuring eight to ten on the land of the province.

As of 8 PM Friday, the precipitations in 11 hydrological stations were reported above 200 millimeters, with the maximum reaching 388 millimeters in Yueqing.

Bilis landed in neighboring Fujian Province Friday noon before entering Zhejiang.

Fujian evacuated 256,000 people, called 42,000 ships back to port and cancelled at least 14 flights to and from Changle International Airport since Thursday night in the provincial capital, Fuzhou.

The loss Bilis caused to Fujian is still not available.

(Xinhua News Agency July 15, 2006)