Typhoon makes landfall in south China

Typhoon Sarika, the 21st typhoon of the year, made landfall at south China’s Hainan on Tuesday as torrential rain and gales lashed the island province.

According to the local meteorological bureau, the tropical cyclone, packing maximum winds of 162 km per hour, landed at Hele Town, Wanning City, at 9:50 a.m.

Authorities said at the island’s main civil airport, Meilan International Airport in the provincial capital Haikou City, 250 flights were cancelled, while normal operations were expected to resume later.

Since Monday, services of high speed trains had been halted.

Local traffic police reported that gales and wet roads caused a passenger bus carrying 45 people on board to overturn on one of Hainan’s major highways on Monday.

Fortunately, there were no casualties.

Provincial meteorological bureau chief, Cai Qinbo, previously predicted losses from the typhoon to be “grave,” as the cyclone was projected to be the most powerful and destructive to land in Hainan in a decade.

Classes have been suspended in kindergartens, middle and primary schools in eight counties in the province and tourist sites were closed to the public.

Residents and tourists had been warned against hiking or strolling along the beaches.

Authorities have also ordered safety checks of reservoirs and power and water supplies, while demanding the fishery and farming sectors to take precautions.