Beijing: Super typhoon Rammasun, the strongest storm to hit southern China in over four decades, killed 14 people and wreaked havoc after leaving a trail of destruction in neighbouring Philippines.
More than 1.3 million people were affected by Rammasun -- a Thai word for Thunder God -- which swept dozens of southern coastal cities in Guangdong and Hainan provinces, and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
The typhoon, which caused huge damages earlier in the week in Philippines, is believed to be the strongest storm to hit the region in 41 years. Wind speeds reached 216 kilometres per hour.
The deaths include five persons from Hainan Province since its first landfall at Wenchang City yesterday, according to a report by state-run news agency Xinhua.
In the province, the typhoon destroyed about 51,000 houses and 40,600 hectares of crops, causing losses worth over 4.7 billion yuan (USD 752.58 mn), the report said.
In Wengtian Town of Wenchang City more than 90 per cent of residential buildings have collapsed. Over 1,000 people were trapped in a farm where sea water rose to one-man high.
The typhoon also damaged power and water facilities, telecommunications networks, ports and roads, making rescue work more difficult, according to local authorities.
Rammasun made its third landfall in Fangchenggang City of Guangxi this morning.
A tower crane fell, killing one person on the site and injuring two others. Roads are strewn with garbage and trees. Gas stations are temporarily closed.
In Beihai, another city in Guangxi, rain-whipped trees and snapped transmission lines blocked major roads, hampering connectivity.
Dai Yanhui, a Beihai resident, told Xinhua that he felt his house shaking in the ferocious winds.
Rammasun also grounded planes in Nanning, the regional capital, stranding some 1,300 passengers. High-speed train services between Nanning and coastal cities have been suspended.
In Guangdong, where the typhoon made a second landfall at Zhanjiang City last night, more than 14,800 people have been relocated. Losses are estimated at 247 million yuan.
The provincial government of Hainan has scrambled six relief teams. More than 100,000 villagers in Wenchang have been relocated.
Rescue teams have been formed to clear blocked roads, and living necessities have reached the worst-hit villages, according to the municipal government of Wenchang.
Rammasun is expected to continue moving northwest at a speed of 20 kilometers per hour bringing heavy rains, according to meteorological authorities.
