Typhoon Hato kills 16 in southern China, Macau

Massive typhoon Hato has hit southern China and Macau, leaving at least 16 people dead.

The typhoon is the most powerful to have hit the region in more than half a century, media reports said on Thursday.

Eight people were killed in China's southern Guangdong province and one person remained missing, according to China's official news agency Xinhua.

Xinhua also said almost 27,000 people were evacuated to emergency shelters, while extensive damage to farmland due to the heavy rain and high tides was also reported.

Almost 2 million households lost power temporarily, while fishing boats were called back to port and train services and flights suspended, Xinhua said.

"Compared to other typhoons, Hato moved fast, quickly grew more powerful and caused massive amounts of rainfall," Wu Zhifang, chief weather forecaster at the Guangdong meteorological bureau, was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

Neighboring semi-autonomous territory Macau, located on China's south coast, said eight people had been killed in the territory after a sudden deluge swamped the area.

Macau lawmaker Jose Pereira Coutinho said he had heard from many people that they had no water or electricity on Thursday after Typhoon Hato tore across the 30-square kilometer former Portuguese colony a day earlier.

"The water came so suddenly," said Coutinho, who blamed the city officials for managing the relief operations "slowly and so badly."

"The losses are high and a lot of buildings need repair," he added.

Chief executive of Macau's local government Chui Sai On ordered measures to "further the relief efforts."

In Hong Kong, which lies across the water 64 kilometers from Macau, flooding and injuries were also reported, bit there were no reports of deaths.

Hato's force had weakened and moved into China's Guangxi region on Thursday.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk