Typhoon Wipha topples trees and causes major flight disruptions in Hong Kong and southern China

Key Points

• Typhoon Wipha prompted Hong Kong Observatory’s hurricane signal No. 10 and grounded at least 400 flights (around 80,000 passengers) while airports in Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Macao also canceled or postponed services and some high-speed trains were suspended.
• Winds of up to 140 kph passed just south of Hong Kong around midday before Wipha made landfall near Taishan in Guangdong province, later weakening to a severe tropical storm with sustained winds of 108 kph.
• In Hong Kong, over 450 fallen trees were reported, roads were strewn with debris, 26 people received treatment at public hospitals and more than 250 sought refuge in shelters, leading to closures of Disneyland and other parks.
• Earlier, Wipha drenched parts of Taiwan and the Philippines, where enhanced monsoon rains killed at least one person, affected over 370,000 people and damaged more than 400 houses.

HONG KONG (AP) — Typhoon Wipha toppled trees and caused major flight disruptions Sunday in Hong Kong and at some nearby airports in China as it moved west off the southern coast of the country.

Airports in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Zhuhai and the casino hub of Macao canceled or postponed flights for most of the day, according to their websites. Hong Kong grounded at least 400 flights, affecting around 80,000 passengers, broadcaster RTHK said. Some high-speed train services were also suspended.

The typhoon stayed just offshore until about 6 p.m., when it made landfall in a coastal area of Taishan city in Guangdong province, China's National Meteorological Center said. It then weakened to a severe tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 108 kph (67 mph).

Earlier Sunday, the Hong Kong Observatory issued a hurricane signal No. 10, its highest warning. The eye of the storm passed just south of the city around midday with maximum sustained winds of 140 kph (87 mph), the observatory said.

The high winds brought down trees in Zhuhai and other cities on China's southern coast.

In Hong Kong, vehicles weaved around branches strewn on the streets. The government said that it had received more than 450 reports of fallen trees and that 26 people had sought medical treatment at public hospitals. A statement didn't provide details on any injuries.

More than 250 people had sought refuge in public shelters, the statement said. Hong Kong Disneyland and other amusement parks were closed.

The storm, which reached typhoon strength overnight, later passed off Macao and was forecast to make landfall on China's coast late Sunday. It is expected to reach Vietnam later this week.

Wipha, which is a Thai name, passed over the Philippines at tropical storm strength and drenched parts of Taiwan on Saturday. Names for typhoons in the western Pacific are chosen by the countries in the region.

In the Philippines, the storm intensified seasonal monsoon rains, leaving at least one villager dead in floodwaters in northern Cagayan province.

More than 370,000 people have been affected by days of stormy weather, including 43,000 who fled to government-run emergency shelters or homes of relatives because of flooding, landslides and fierce winds. More than 400 houses were damaged, officials said.

Elsewhere in Asia, five days of torrential rain in South Korea has left 14 people dead and 12 others missing, the government said Sunday.