Typhoon Gaemi forces evacuation, factory suspension in northeast China

BEIJING (Reuters) - More than 27,000 people in northeast China were evacuated and hundreds of factories were ordered to suspend production as Typhoon Gaemi brought heavy rains, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday.

Gaemi lashed towns on China's coastal Fujian province on Friday with heavy rains and strong winds as the most powerful storm to hit the country this year began its widely watched trek from the southeastern coast into the populous interior.

Heavy rains caused water levels to rise in 40 reservoirs across Liaoning province, the area is expected to experience torrential rain from early on Sunday Tuesday, the report said.

Hundreds of chemical and mining companies across the province have suspended operations and nearby residents have been relocated to avoid flood risks, Xinhua said.

The storm, which killed dozens as it swept through Taiwan and worsened seasonal rains in the Philippines, has affected almost 630,000 people in China's Fujian province, with almost half of them being relocated, Xinhua has reported.

(Reporting by Kevin Yao; Editing by William Mallard)