HANGZHOU, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Typhoon Saomai, the strongest to hit the Chinese mainland in 50 years, destroyed hundreds of housesat its landfall site in east China's Zhejiang Province and killed at least 43 people, bringing the death toll to 71 in Zhejiang.

By 7:00 a.m. Friday, the bodies of 43 people, including eight children, were retrieved from the debris of collapsed houses at Jinxiang Town of Cangnan County, where Saomai landed at 5:25 p.m. Thursday with a wind speed of 216 km per hour, bringing torrentialrains and strong winds.

Earlier reports from the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters said that 28 people were killed and three missing in other parts of Zhejiang.

In addition, two people died in neighboring Fujian Province, according to local maritime sources. Enditem