Typhoon Chanchu churned its way towards Hong Kong and Southern China on Wednesday, causing the cancellation of some flights and ferry services as the region battened down to prepare for the storm.
The typhoon, which killed 41 people when it tore through the Philippines, is the strongest on record to enter the South China Sea in May and was on a path to hit Southern China’s Guangdong province, the Hong Kong Observatory said.
Chanchu was about 250km south-east of Hong Kong at 2am GMT and moving north-northeast at 20kph, headed for the Guangdong coast, it said.
Wang Yongxin, chief forecaster of Guangdong Marine Observatory, said Shantou in the eastern part of the province could be hardest hit, the China Daily reported.
The cities of Shenzhen and Guangzhou warned small ships and fishing boats on the open seas to seek shelter.
In Shenzhen, local authorities issued landslide warnings at some high-risk places and were ready to evacuate people if necessary. Advertisement billboards in the city were either reinforced or removed.
Fujian and Hainan provinces were also braced for damage with the latter ordering a halt to sea and rail transport across the Qiongzhou Strait between the island and Guangdong.
In Hong Kong, several trees were felled by high winds. A handful of flights were cancelled and others were postponed, while several ferry services to South China were suspended.
Winds as high as 74kph were recorded and there was concern about flooding in low-lying areas, the observatory said. Classes at kindergartens and some other schools were also called off.
Hong Kong authorities warned residents to take precautions to protect their windows and doors, and advised builders to secure all scaffolds. It also advised fishing vessels to seek shelter immediately.
Hong Kong regularly suffers torrential rain and flooding from typhoons that normally occur between May and November. – AFP