国内英语新闻:Nearly 1,000 graves damaged, 300 flights delayed after tropical storm Meranti slams Chinese c

HANGZHOU, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 1,000 graves were damaged in a mud flow that hit east China's Zhejiang Province Saturday after torrential rains, caused by tropical storm Meranti, triggered landslides, a debris flow and delayed flights.

However, no causalities have been reported as of 11 p.m. after Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang, was hit by nine landslides and a debris flow, said Zhejiang flood control officials.

After the mud flow damaged 952 graves at the Meinushan Cemetery in Binjiang District, the district government ordered work crews to relocate exposed remains to safe places and reinforce existing graves, said officials.

Torrential rains have been pounding the city since 4 a.m. Officials reported that by 7 a.m. the rainfall has reached 232 mm, a rarely seen accumulation in only three hours.

In Shanghai, more than 300 outgoing flights, both domestic and international, were delayed for more than 30 minutes as of 5 p.m. at Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

However, no flights have yet been canceled, according to airport security staff.

Also, inbound flights have not been seriously affected, with fewer than 10 flights being delayed prior to landing, they said.

Additionally, flights were not affected at the other civilian airport, Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport.