Super Typhoon Yagi Kills 2, Injures 92 in China: State Media

AFP/APP

Beijing: Super Typhoon Yagi has killed at least two people and injured 92 others after slamming into southern China’s Hainan island, state media reported Saturday.

The storm lashed Hainan with heavy rain and gusty winds, leaving at least two dead and 92 injured, according to state-run news agency Xinhua, citing local authorities.

State broadcaster CCTV reported that Yagi brought winds of more than 230 kilometres (143 miles) per hour, uprooting trees and prompting the evacuation of around 460,000 people on the island.

The storm made landfall on Friday in Hainan, a popular holiday destination. The island’s main airport in Haikou was closed until 3 pm on Saturday (0700 GMT), as per CCTV.

Authorities in the neighboring province of Guangdong reported on Friday that they had evacuated more than 574,000 residents to safety.

Yagi had killed at least 13 people in the Philippines earlier this week when it was still classified as a tropical storm, before strengthening into a super typhoon in the following days.

The storm is expected to head towards Vietnam after moving through southern China, with a projected impact on the northern and north-central regions, including the famed UNESCO heritage site Halong Bay, on Saturday.