Toll from strong typhoon climbs to 9 dead in southern China

BEIJING — The death toll from Typhoon Hato has risen to at least nine as the most powerful storm to hit the southern China region around Hong Kong in more than half a century barrelled west Thursday and was losing strength.

Macau said five people were killed in the gambling enclave, including two men found overnight in a parking garage. Another 153 were listed as injured amid extensive flooding, power outages, and the smashing of doors and windows by the high winds and driving rain.

China’s official Xinhua News Agency said four more people were killed in the neighbouring province of Guangdong and one person remains missing. Hato roared into the area on Wednesday with winds of up to 160 kilometres (99 miles) per hour.

Xinhua 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.