Typhoon Sarika wreaks havoc across south China’s Hainan

Typhoon Sarika, the 21st typhoon of the year, wreaked havoc as it swept through south China’s Hainan Province on Tuesday.

The tropical cyclone, packing maximum winds of 162 km per hour at its eye, made landfall at Hele Town, Wanning City at 9:50 local time, according to the local meteorological bureau.

Torrential rain and gales lashed the island province, with a maximum rainfall of 300 millimeters.

Some 520,000 residents have been evacuated, according to the municipal authorities. High speed train and shipping services were also halted starting Monday.

Classes have been suspended in kindergartens, middle and primary schools in eight counties across the province, as well as tourist sites and street shops being closed to the public.

As the rainfall receded on Tuesday afternoon, a mass clean-up operation was rolled out in the city of Qionghai. Workers are now busy draining water in flood-hit streets, restoring the damaged power grid, replanting uprooted trees and clearing fallen leaves and debris.