Death toll from China typhoon rises to 46, 25 missing

July 19, 2014: In this photo, a woman looks at a tree uprooted by Typhoon Rammasun in Nanning in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (AP)

BEIJING – The death toll from the strongest typhoon to slam into China's south in decades has risen to 46, with 25 other people still missing, the government said Tuesday.

The Civil Affairs Ministry said Typhoon Rammasun caused floods, hail showers and mudslides since it made landfall Friday. The storm destroyed tens of thousands of homes, damaged roads and ports and cut electricity and water supplies in southern Chinese cities.

It was the strongest typhoon to hit southern China in 41 years, with wind speeds reaching 130 mph, according to the China Meteorological Administration. It also caused 94 deaths in the Philippines and at least 11 in Vietnam.

A second storm, Typhoon Matmo, with sustained winds of 85 mph was approaching Taiwan and forecast to hit its east-central coast Wednesday morning. Torrential rains, exceeding 7.8 inches over 24 hours, were forecast for virtually the entire island.