Update | Typhoon Hato death toll rises to 8 in southern China’s Guangdong province

High winds estimated to have caused US$825.5 million worth of damage to property, farmland

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Typhoon Hato damaged two rocket models outside the Zhuhai Aviation Industry Park, where a large-scale airshow was held last year. Photo: Imaginechina

Published: 1:15pm, 24 Aug 2017Updated: 10:15pm, 24 Aug 2017

At least eight people were killed and hundreds of houses were toppled in Guangdong province on Wednesday as southern China was lashed by the strongest typhoon to hit the country this year.

Four people were killed in Zhongshan city. A woman was killed in Zhongshan after being hit by a tree that was brought down by Typhoon Hato as she was riding her bicycle. The incident happened about noon in the downtown area of the city.

Police closed a bridge of Western Coastal Highway in Zhongshan, Guangdong after a barge hit and damaged the foundation Wednesday late afternoon. Photo: Xinhua

Another Zhongshan resident was killed in the late afternoon when his truck fell on top of him. He had been struggling against the gale force winds to keep the vehicle upright.

The typhoon also claimed three lives in Zhuhai, Xinhua said. No details were released, but local media reported that one of the people drowned in a flooded garage. At least one was killed in Jiangmen city.

Over 300 houses were destroyed in Guangdong in the high winds, which also damaged at least 20 sq km of farmland. Initial estimates put the cost of the damage at 5.5 billion yuan (US$825.5 million).

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