Typhoon Rananim is said to be China's worst storm since 1997

The typhoon killed at least 115 people, and at least 22 more have died in mudslides on the outskirts of Yueqing, Zhejiang province.

More than 1,800 others are reported to have been injured after Typhoon Rananim battered Zhejiang on Thursday.

It was the worst storm to hit China for seven years.

Huge boulders and flows of mud poured down the mountains outside the town of Yueqing, destroying two schools and dozens of houses. Roads and power lines were also cut.

Twenty-two people are missing and nine have been injured, according to state news agency Xinhua. At least three people have also been killed by stormy seas whipped up by the typhoon.

The storm destroyed more than 40,000 homes.

The authorities are concerned that the recent soaring temperatures of up to 38C over the weekend could hasten the spread of dysentery and other diseases among those left homeless.

In pictures: China's typhoon

Rananim has now been down-graded to a tropical storm. It moved west into Jiangxi province later on Friday, bringing heavy rain.

It had moved into China from Taiwan, where it killed one road worker.

China's civil affairs ministry has estimated direct economic losses of 15.33bn yuan ($1.85bn) and that 271,00 hectares (677,500 acres) of crops were damaged.

More than 650 people have been killed this year by natural disasters in China, which have caused damage estimated at more than $4bn.

The north of China has suffered severe droughts, while heavy rains have caused flooding in southern and central areas.