CCTV9英语新闻：海口遭受41年来最严重的台风（在线收听）

By CCTV Reporter Tang Bo

Super typhoon Rammasun unleashed its force in south China’s Hainan province on Friday, sweeping over its capital Haikou. Just one night of heavy rains and winds has left damage to the city with local residents and the municipal government scrambling to restore the city from its strongest storm in more than 40 years.

Years of hard work…..washed away in just one night from battering rains and winds.

In the aftermath, Zhou Xiaoguo picks up the pieces and what is still left…cleaning up his auto parts store left in shambles by typhoon Rammasun.

“I have been living in Haikou for 20 years, I have never seen a big typhoon like this before. Comparatively, typhoon Haiyan last year was like nothing,”said Zhou Xiaoguo, auto parts store owner.

Haikou is the the capital city of Hainan Province and Zhou a resident here, has been running this auto parts store since 2011.‍

The damage from Rammasun on Friday has cost him more than 48,000 US dollars. Adding to his woes, restoring the shop will require another 50,000 US dollars. ‍

What began as a giant storm grew into Typhoon Rammasun as it ripped through the Philippines. It thereafter set its sights on Haikou Friday afternoon with a wind force of more than 60 metres per second. Even as Haikou’s drainage system maintenance workers worked round the clock to unclog waterways and alleviate flooding…much of the city still remains under water.

“Rammasun was too heavy, many drainage exits were blocked by falling leaves and garbages. Besides, the rising tide last night made flooding in the low lying areas of the city worse,” Ou Xiong, Haikou drainage maintenance.

20,000 people had to be evacuated, trees were uprooted, streets left without electricity, and traffic came to a standstill. The devastation left its trail and everybody was caught offguard.

Rammasun is expected to travel 20 kilometers per hour northwest and run through southern parts of Guangxi before it is likely to abate.

China’s meteorological authority maintains a red alert for Rammasun as downpours and gusts continue to sweep the southern coastal provinces.