Typhoon Krosa leaves China weakened

BEIJING, Oct. 8 (UPI) -- Typhoon Krosa weakened to a tropical storm Monday after affecting more than five million people in eastern China.

China's 16th typhoon of the year hit the mainland Sunday paralyzing transportation services, cutting power supplies, closing schools and shuttering businesses, Xinhua, China's official news agency, reported.

No casualties were reported amid news accounts of damaged homes and flooded streets.

About 1.4 million people in Zhejiang and Fujian provinces were evacuated before Krosa made landfall, including more than 500,000 tourists visiting the coast for their week-long National Day holiday.

Rescuers battled high winds to tow a disabled Hong Kong-registered cargo ship with a 27-member international crew to harbor, Xinhua said. The vessel suffered mechanical failure off the coast of Zhejiang Province’s Wenzhou City. China Daily said the ship was not in immediate danger of sinking.

Before heading to China, Krosa killed five people in Taiwan and blacked out more than 2 million households and businesses.