9 killed as China hit by strongest typhoon of year

At least nine people have been killed and one remains missing as the strongest typhoon of the year hit south China, according to Xinhua news agency, Azertac reported.

Typhoon Hato made landfall in the city of Zhuhai in Guangdong Province at noon Wednesday, bringing winds of up to 160 kph to the mouth of the Pearl River and heavy rain to nearby regions, the local meteorological bureau said.

When the typhoon swept past Macao, a wall brought down by strong winds killed a man. Another person died after falling from the 11th floor of a building, and a third after being hit by a truck, according to Macao health authorities, which confirmed two more deaths and 153 injuries late Wednesday night.

There was a brief blackout in Macao but power resumed at 2 p.m.

In Guangdong, four people have died and one remains unaccounted for. The government has evacuated 26,817 people to temporary shelters. About 664 hectares of farmland has been damaged, Xinhua reports.

Power transmission facilities suffered heavy loss, disrupting electricity supply to 1.91 million households.