Typhoon
Usagi killed at least 25 people after crashing ashore in southern China,
throwing the region’s transport systems into chaos and leaving tens of
thousands of airline passengers stranded in Hong Kong on Monday.
As the typhoon bore
down on Hong Kong, operators shut down one of the world’s busiest sea ports and
nearly 450 flights were either cancelled or delayed on Sunday as Cathay Pacific
and other airlines imposed preemptive suspensions.
Hong Kong’s
Observatory said it was the strongest typhoon to brush the city since 1979.
Tens of thousands of people had their travel plans upended with ferries and
trains also disrupted, while Cathay resumed flights only from noon (0400 GMT)
on Monday.
Many passengers were
forced to stay overnight at the airport, sleeping on the floor or spending the
night playing card games. Many milled around the departure hall hoping to
rebook their flights.
The
reports by Xinhua news agency did not say how the 25 were killed but said all
the deaths were in Guangdong after the typhoon brought down trees and damaged
roads. Dozens more were injured in accidents, it added.
Bullet
trains from Guangzhou city to Beijing were suspended and Xinhua said winds were
strong enough near Shanwei to blow cars off the road. More than 47,000 fishing
boats were in harbour and schools were closed in 14 coastal cities.
Usagi had previously
killed two people in the Philippines and unleashed landslides and power outages
across southern Taiwan at the weekend as it ploughed through the Luzon Strait
with ferocious winds and heavy downpours.
Monsoon rains worsened
by Usagi brought flooding on Monday to the Philippine capital Manila and nearby
provinces.
Source: Agency
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