BEIJING, March 4 (Xinhua) -- China's strongest storm tide since 1969 churned across the East China Sea on Sunday, capsizing nine ships.

    Two rescue ships were dispatched after an SOS was received from the endangered ships shortly after midnight but it took them four hours to reach the scene in strong winds, according to Song Jiahui,director of the Ministry of Communications rescue department.

    By Sunday afternoon, 111 people had been plucked from the wintry waters in a successful rescue operation, which included four fishing boats and two fishery administration vessels.

    The Ministry put together a rescue team for the northern Bohai Sea -- where the storm tide was expected to be particularly powerful -- comprising 49 rescue vessels, 3 rescue helicopters, and 6 emergency rescue units.

    With media and coastal radios broadcasting warnings about the storm tide, Communications Minister Li Shenglin has ordered vessels to stay in harbor.