Live: Two killed as typhoon Mangkhut hits China

World
Europe

01:06

After rampaging through the Philippines, where it wreaked havoc and killed at least 59 people, super typhoon Mangkhut slammed into southern China.

Updated at 22:00 BJT

Typhoon Mangkhut is gradually weakening as it moves towards the southwest after making landfall on the coast of Jiangmen City in southern China's Guangdong Province.

Guangdong authorities have lowered the emergency reaction mechanism from level I to level II.

The Hainan Eastern Ring High-Speed Railway (HSR), which was suspended because of the arrival of typhoon Mangkhut, will resume operation from midnight.

Although Mangkhut is moving away, gales and violent squalls are still occurring and precautions should not yet be relaxed.

07:44

Updated at 21:40 BJT

At least two people were killed in Guangdong Province as of 8:00 pm BJT.

A resident walks past trees that fell on streets after being hit by Typhoon Mangkhut in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province. /VCG Photo

Updated at 20:30 BJT‍

In Hong Kong, Hurricane Signal No. 10, the top level warning, was changed to the second highest warning Southeast Gale Signal 8 at 7:40 p.m. BJT by the Hong Kong Observatory as Mangkhut moves further away from the region.

The 213 people – 117 men and 96 women – injured in Hong Kong, have sought medical treatment at public hospitals, according to the Hospital Authority in China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The Home Affairs Department has so far opened 48 temporary shelters where 1,219 people have sought refuge.

As of 5 pm local time, the government's call center had received 179 reports of fallen trees. The Drainage Services Department received 26 confirmed flooding cases.

No reports of landslides have been received, according to the Civil Engineering and Development Department and Lands Department.

In Macao, at least 15 people were reportedly injured as of 7:00 pm, and 182 reports of accidents, such as building damaging and trees falling, were received.

00:34

Updated at 18:33 BJT

As of 6:00 pm BJT, injuries to at least 213 people in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region were blamed on typhoon Mangkhut.

More than 2.45 million people have been relocated, and over 48,000 fishing boats called back to port in Guangdong Province as of 5 pm on Sunday.

Work was suspended at more than 29,000 construction sites and 632 tourist spots closed.

03:34

Updated at 17:36 BJT

A big engineering ship dragged its anchor due to typhoon Mangkhut in Huizhou, China's southern Guangdong Province on Sunday morning, and asked for help from the province's maritime search and rescue center.

The center immediately initiated an emergency response and dispatched search vessels to the site, and rescued all 73 crew members.

00:26

Updated at 17:06 BJT

Typhoon Mangkhut made landfall in China's southern Guangdong Province at 5:00 pm BJT with a maximum speed of 45 meters per second.

People walking on the streets of Guangzhou City in China's southern Guangdong Province as typhoon Mangkhut got closer on September 16, 2018 /VCG Photo

Updated at 14:59 BJT

Footage shows surging waves flooding a seaside hotel in Shenzhen as typhoon Mangkhut edged closer to the south of China.

00:50

Updated at 14:17 BJT

Five people were injured in Macao as typhoon Mangkhut approached.

As of 13:30 local time, 1,071 people were moved into Macao's 16 emergency shelters, where food and drinkable water are provided.

A total of 79 incidents of falling trees and building damages had been reported so far, said Macao's Civil Emergency Response Center.

A blackout was reported in some regions in the city.

A woman runs in the rainstorm as Typhoon Mangkhut approaches, in Shenzhen, China September 16, 2018. /VCG Photo

Updated at 11:31 a.m. BJT

Over 300 inbound and outbound flights at Haikou Meilan International Airport were canceled on Sunday. Haikou, the capital of China's island province Hainan, also suspended classes in all middle and primary schools on Sunday morning until Monday afternoon.

Macao International Airport canceled a total of 160 flights. Ferry services from Macao Special Administrative Region to Hong Kong Special Administrative Region have been halted. Over 900 people are taking refuge in 16 makeshift shelters around the city.

Updated at 11:00 a.m. BJT

A No. 10 warning signal for typhoon Mangkhut was raised in Macao, about an hour after Hong Kong issued the highest storm alert.

Hong Kong issued a second highest rainstorm alert at 10:55 am, and opened 48 makeshift shelters to house more than 600 people, according to Chinese national broadcaster CCTV.

Ships and vessels within a radius of three nautical miles from Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge were removed to ensure safety.

Mangkhut, expected to be China's most intense storm this year, will make landfall in southern China between Sunday afternoon and evening.

Hong Kong Observatory raised the alert to storm signal No. 10, the highest in its warning system, as Typhoon Mangkhut edges toward southern China, Sept. 16, 2018. /VCG photo

Updated at 10:25 a.m. BJT

Winds strengthened and more than 700 vessels have been relocated to harbor before typhoon Mangkhut enters the seven-level wind ring in Taishan, south China's Guangdong Province, according to a CCTV reporter.

A first-level emergency response has been activated in the area.

Before Hong Kong updated its storm alert to the highest level at 9:40 am, Macao raised a No. 9 warning signal at 9:00 a.m. Local casinos were also ordered to suspend operations for the first time in history.

Mangkhut killed at least 25 people in the Philippines, most of which occurred due to landslides in the country's Cordillera region, Reuters quoted a government disaster coordinator as saying.

Updated at 9:58 a.m. BJT

The No. 10 typhoon warning was raised on Sunday morning in Hong Kong as Typhoon Mangkhut is approaching south China with powerful winds.

The last time the No 10 signal, the highest in the Observatory's warning system, was issued was in August 2017, when Typhoon Hato battered the city.

Hong Kong Observatory raised alert to storm signal No. 10, the highest in its warning system, as Typhoon Mangkhut edges toward south China, Sept. 16, 2018. /CGTN Photo

Hong Kong Observatory raised alert to storm signal No. 10, the highest in its warning system, as Typhoon Mangkhut edges toward south China, Sept. 16, 2018. /VCG photo

Updated at 8:40 a.m. BJT

Flights at Guangzhou's Baiyun International Airport have been canceled as super typhoon Mangkhut is expected to make landfall in south China's Guangdong Province on Sunday afternoon or evening.

The airport announced the cancellation of all arrivals and departures between 12:00 pm local time on Sunday to 8 am local time on Monday early on Sunday morning.

China's National Meteorological Center (NMC) issued a red typhoon alert on Saturday, the highest in a four-tier warning system.

Heavy rain is expected to hit Guangdong Province, the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions, parts of Fujian Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the island province of Hainan as well as Taiwan in the next 24 hours.

Residents of south China's Guangdong Province clear out supermarket shelves as they scramble for last-minute grocery shopping before Typhoon Mangkhut makes landfall. /VCG Photo

The Hong Kong Observatory raised its alert to No. 9 storm signal at 7:40 am on Sunday as typhoon Mangkhut came within striking distance.

According to the NMC, Mangkhut, the 22nd typhoon of this year, could become the strongest to make landfall.

At least 13 people were killed, and five others went missing as Typhoon Mangkhut tore through the northern Philippines on Saturday.

Super Typhoon Mangkhut approaches south China

1861km