At least 12 people have been killed and hundreds of others injured as a powerful storm swept across southern China.
Typhoon Hato made landfall at noon local time yesterday near Zhuhai city in Guangdong province, bringing with it strong winds and lashing rain.
Hong Kong raised its typhoon warning signal to 10, the highest level. The territory and nearby Macau were brought to a standstill.
Eight people were killed in Macau, while four were reported dead in mainland China. Another person remains unaccounted for, according to local media.
Businesses, schools, train stations and airports were forced to shut on Wednesday, with only one aircraft managing to land at Hong Kong’s normally busy airport, with Cathay Pacific cancelling the majority of its flights.
The storm caused widespread flooding, blackouts and destruction.
Chinese state media said nearly 27,000 people on the mainland were evacuated.
Authorities have issued alerts for landslides, flooding and other geological disasters.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said in an updated travel advisory: “Typhoon Hato caused significant damage and flooding to Macao, including lost power and water supplies.
“There’s substantial flooding in the old town and in parts of the Cotai strip. Travel and public transport are severely disrupted; you should follow the advice of the local authorities.”
More: