Tens of thousands evacuated as typhoon hits southern China
Liam Dutton
Weather Presenter
Tens of thousands of people were evacuated on Wednesday as a powerful typhoon slammed into southern China, with winds of around 90mph.
Typhoon Utor packed a punch, with torrential rain accompanying the damaging winds, forcing the closure of schools, offices, shopping centres and construction sites in cities along its path northwest across Guangdong province.
More than 60,000 people were evacuated in the city of Maoming alone. Another 98,000 were moved to safety on the island province of Hainan, where 26,000 fishing boats were ordered to shelter in harbours.
In Hong Kong, offices, schools and courts were closed and the stock market stopped trading, bringing an eerie calm to the usually busy commercial hub. More than 350 flights were cancelled or delayed, with bus and commuter ferry services curtailed.
Six people in Hong Kong were reported injured, where strong winds blew down 21 trees, but otherwise the city emerged largely unscathed.
Typhoon Utor, the 11th typhoon to hit China this year, made landfall at 4.50pm local time in a township in Yangxi County in the western Guangdong city of Yangjiang, according to local meteorological authorities.
Prior to slamming into southern China, Utor crossed the Philippines earlier this week, leaving at least seven people dead and four missing.
One woman in north eastern Isabela province was seen on camera being swept away by a raging river. Her body was found later.
Now that the typhoon has made landfall, it will gradually weaken as it is starved of energy from the warm ocean waters.
However, before the storm dissipates completely, it will still take heavy rain, gales and a significant flood risk across Guangdong and Guangxi provinces during the next 48 hours.