Typhoon lashes China

High winds and heavy rain lashed China's densely populated east coast yesterday after Typhoon Muifa forced around 1.6 million people to leave their homes and grounded most flights at Shanghai's main airports. Muifa is the strongest tropical cyclone to hit Shanghai -- home to more than 25 million people -- since record-keeping began in 1949, state broadcaster CCTV said. However, there were no immediate reports of any deaths or casualties.