9 killed as China hit by strongest typhoon of year

At least nine people have been killed and one remains missing as the strongest typhoon of the year hit south China Wednesday, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

"Typhoon Hato made landfall in the city of Zhuhai in Guangdong Province at noon Wednesday, bringing winds of up to 160 Kph to the mouth of the Pearl River and heavy rain to nearby regions," the local meteorological bureau quoted as saying.

"In Guangdong, four people have died and one remains unaccounted for. The government has evacuated 26,817 people to temporary shelters. About 664 hectares of farmland has been damaged," the agency said, adding that, "In Zhuhai, a ship which lost control amid gales and high tides hit a pier of a major bridge, causing the bridge surface to tilt. The bridge, part of a coastal highway, remains cordoned off.

"Alerts for landslides, flooding, and other geological disasters have been issued."

Xinhua quoted Wu Zhifang, Chief Weather Forecaster at Guangdong Meteorological Bureau as saying, "Compared to other typhoons, Hato moved fast, quickly grew more powerful and caused massive amounts of rainfall."

Meteorologists had earlier warned of unusually high flooding as the typhoon came during high tides. Hundreds of thousands of residents in low-lying areas, workers on coastal fish farms, and tourists have been transferred to safer places.