Strong Typhoon Kills 4 in Southern China, Thousands Evacuated

A strong typhoon roared into southern China on Sunday, bringing powerful winds and heavy rain to the region, leaving one person dead and 16 fisherman missing.

Almost 200,000 people in southern China were evacuated before Typhoon Mujigae made landfall near the city of Zhanjiang in Guangdong province just after 2pm, according to the National Meteorological Centre.

CCTV tweeted pictures of damaged buildings and cars after the typhoon hit with gales and torrential rain as Xinhua warned that storms would last in the densely populated Pearl River Delta until Monday. In Hainan and Guangdong, around 60,000 fishing boats were recalled to harbour to shelter from the storm, Xinhua said.

Guangdong’s flood control and drought relief headquarters elevated its typhoon emergency response to the highest level.

Authorities in China and the Philippines said Monday that a typhoon that tore through the northern Philippines before roaring ashore in southern China has killed at least eight people and left dozens of fishermen missing.

Another tourist spot, Fangji Island, also saw more than 500 tourists stranded during the typhoon.

Provincial authorities also suspended trains and ferries between the island and the mainland on Friday night and ordered all boats to return to harbor by 10 a.m. on Saturday. The remaining tourists were transferred to hotels.

The agency reported the government of Guangzhou’s Fanyu District as saying that tornados, induced by the typhoon, hit Nancun and Shiqi on Sunday, killing three people and injuring 134 others.

This is expected to affect tourists in the city, many of which are visitors to Guangdong from other parts of the country during China’s “Golden Week” – a week-long holiday to celebrate its National Day.