Typhoons that have claimed more than 1,000 lives so far this year are being blamed for a rare rice planthopper outbreak in central China's Hubei Province, which are plaguing mid-season and late crops of rice over an area of 667,000 hectares.

Typhoons brought about frequent rains and cool weather during summer, the ideal environment for planthopper, a major pest to rice, has enabled the insects pests to flourish, experts said at an emergency meeting in Wuhan, capital of Hubei, on Wednesday.

With 40 percent of rice fields being seriously hit, the outbreak is much more serious than the formers ones in 1991, 1997 and 1998 that have caused the loss of millions of tons in rice output, they said.

However, it is too early to estimate the impact of the outbreak on rice production. Hubei produces 13 million tons of mid-season and late rice every year from 1.67 million hectares.

The northern parts of Hubei, which are usually free from such outbreaks, were also hit.

"It is the worst outbreak I ever seen since I began working in plant protection offices 30 years ago," said an expert named Luo Xingrong.

The normal level of planthoppers in a rice field is less than 1,500 pests for every 100 stumps of rice. However, figures from Xiangfan report 20,000 pests for every 100 stumps and Qianqiang reported up to 60,000 pests for every 100 stumps.

Local governments have broadcast programs to teach peasants how to fight the pest and have provided them with funds.

China is badly hit by typhoons this year as the death toll from Saomai rose to 319 on Wednesday, while three other storms - Bilis, Kaemi and Prapiroon - left at least 752 dead and 280 missing.

(Xinhua News Agency August 17, 2006)