Taiwan has suffered 2.78 billion Taiwan dollars (90.09 million US) of damage to its agricultural industry after the strongest typhoon to hit Asia this year swept across the island, authorities said Thursday.
Thyphoon Bilis, packing center winds of up to 320 kilometers (200 miles) an hour, hit the island overnight Tuesday, leaving 11 people dead, eight missing and 101 injured.
"Total damages in agriculture, forestry, fishery and live stocks are estimated at 2.78 billion dollars," the Council of Agriculture said in a statement.
"The eastern Hualien County suffered the biggest agricultural loss of 793 million dollars, followed by Taichung and Nantou counties in central Taiwan and Taitung county in the east," it said.
A total of 31,184 hectares (77,960 acres) of farmland across the island were destroyed by powerful winds and torrential rains brought by Bilis, it added.
The 32-kilometer-wide (20 miles) eye of the "super typhoon" or category-five hurricane hit the island at Taitung at around 10:30 p.m. (1430 GMT) on Tuesday -- TAIPEI (AFP)
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