Typhoon Hato: 5 dead as strongest typhoon in five years hits Hong Kong + SE China

Five people have been killed in the gambling enclave of Macau during southern China’s worst storm in five years.

Key points:

• Thousands evacuated from parts of mainland coast
• Hong Kong raises hurricane signal to highest level for first time in five years
• Winds reached 126 kph, with gusts of up to 207kph

Three men, aged 30, 45 and 62, were killed in falls and accidents related to the heavy rain and gusting winds from Typhoon Hato, Macau’s Government Information Bureau said.

The typhoon came within 60 kilometres of the nearby financial centre of Hong Kong before heading westward into mainland China, where it was gradually weakening.

China’s weather service said the storm made landfall around noon in the Pearl River Delta city of Zhuhai in the neighbouring province of Guangdong.

Thousands of people were evacuated from parts of the mainland coast ahead of the storm’s arrival, China’s official Xinhua News Agency reported.

Train services were cancelled, fishing boats returned to harbor and more than 4,000 fish farmers and their families came to shore, Xinhua said.

Hato knocked out power in Macau, including at its famed casinos and a hospital, where backup generators kicked in.

Hong Kong issues highest hurricane warning

Flooding and injuries were reported in Hong Kong, which lies across the water 64 kilometres from Macau, but there were no reports of deaths.

Source: Typhoon Hato: Five dead as strongest typhoon in five years hits SE China – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)