Ming Dynasty castle damaged in typhoon

FUZHOU, China, Aug. 6 (UPI) -- The typhoons that have killed hundreds of people in China have damaged an ancient castle dating from the Ming Dynasty, a Chinese cultural official said.

An outer wall of the Caipu Castle, in the southeastern Fujian province, collapsed after being beaten by weeks of torrential winds and rains, China's Xinhua news service reports.

The round castle was built in 1636 and is the last remaining example of such a construction, a county museum curator said.

The people of the Ming Dynasty in Fujian set up castles as a means to defend themselves against Japanese pirates haunting China's southern and eastern coast, the curator said.

The local government has begun salvage work and will repair the castle, the agency said.

The Ming Dynasty, ruling China between 1368-1644, was the last native Chinese dynasty in the country's history.