Typhoon Wipha batters Hong Kong, sweeps down southern coast

Typhoon Wipha, so far the sixth typhoon of the year, made landfall in southern China on Sunday evening, bringing strong winds and heavy rainfall. Local authorities had previously issued high weather alerts, causing over 250 people to seek refuge in temporary shelters in Hong Kong, for example. In Hainan province, meanwhile, the storm flooded roads, as seen here.

In Hainan province, authorities braced for heavy flooding on Sunday by raising their emergency response for flood and typhoon control. The water levels of at least 20 rivers in the coastal provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan and Fujian have risen considerably in past days, and further rainfall is expected.

Rain and hurricane-force winds battered Hong Kong as the storm swept past Victoria Bay. On Sunday, local authorities issued the highest possible weather alert — T10 — for hours, and brought surrounding transportation to a near standstill. Further west in Guangdong province, the cities of Yangjiang, Zhanjiang and Maoming were particularly affected.

On Monday, two meteorological experts said it was "pure luck" that Hong Kong escaped worse damage as Typhoon Wipha swept past. The city has reported some 700 fallen trees, as emergency services scrambled to rescue vehicles trapped underneath. At least 33 were sent to hospitals to be treated for injuries sustained from the storm.

Amusement parks were shuttered as China's southern coast braced for Typhoon Wipha to make landfall. In Hong Kong, hurricane-force gusts blew over barricades erected in the central district. The storm blew past just south of the city at around 130 km/h (81 mph) after crossing the Philippines and flooding Taiwan.

According to media reports, up to 80,000 passengers were stranded at Hong Kong airport, as airport authorities reported some 500 flights had been grounded due to weather conditions. Flights were also canceled in the nearby major cities of Shenzhen and Zhuhai.

Rescue workers in Hong Kong battled strong gusts and headwinds on Sunday. And even now that the storm has moved on, the threat of rising river levels or landslides after continuous rainfall remains high. People in the area are advised to exercise caution.

After making landfall in China, Typhoon Wipha weakened to a tropical storm. Meteorologists expect the storm to continue along the coast of southern China on its way toward Vietnam. There, it's expected to gather strength and hit the north of the country early next week. Vietnamese coastal regions are on alert, as evacuations are being prepared in the areas most at risk.