Typhoon Mawar makes landfall in China; over 15,000 relocated

Beijing: Mawar, the 16th typhoon to hit China this year, has made a landfall in the country's southern Guangdong province, bringing gales of 20 meters per second, MeT officials said on Monday.

Heavy rain battered the landing area when the typhoon made the landfall late last night.

About 2,200 fishing boats had returned to the harbour while more than 15,000 people were relocated to safe places, local government said.

The provincial meteorological centre said that the typhoon would weaken rapidly after the landing and move towards northwest at a speed of about 10 km per hour, bringing downpours and gales to other cities in the province.

Flights and trains were suspended. Authorities have been on alert for secondary disasters, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Mawar is the third typhoon that landed in Guangdong in the recent half month after Hato and Pakhar.

On August 27, 14th Typhoon Pakhar hit China and made landfall in the city of Taishan in Guangdong province.

Pakhar wreaked havoc, days after Typhoon Hato, the strongest to hit southern China in 53 years, left a trail of death and destruction.

The government has evacuated 26,817 people to temporary shelters. About 664 hectares of farmland has been damaged.