High winds that knocked cars off the road, heavy rains and flooding from the typhoon that hit southern China and the Philippines this past weekend left at least 47 people dead as of Monday.
Typhoon Usagi was the strongest storm of the season during its peak, according to the Weather Channel. Hundreds of flights, train service and plans for sea travel were cancelled over the weekend. Power lines were blown to the ground by high winds and rainfall. Financial trading closed Sunday morning in China, according to al-Jazeera, before the typhoon lowered to a tropical depression.
The typhoon moved through Taiwan and the northernmost area of the Philippines on Saturday, saving some areas in those two locations from the worst of the winds. But some parts of the north-west Philippines were struck hard by the typhoon, causing landslides and intense rains that led to the deaths of at least 20 people.
According to the Guardian, two people drowned to death in the north-east Aurora Province in the Philippines, after their boat capsized. Mayor of the Subic municipality in Zambales province Jeffrey Khonghun reported that 15 bodies were excavated from two villages hit by landslides in nearby towns. Army and law enforcement officials stated that five people had also died in landslides near Zambales.
"This is the first after a long time that we were hit by this kind of deluge," Khonghun said to Manila's DZBB radio. He left in the middle of the interview upon learning that another person's remains had been dug out of the mud in a nearby location.
Much of the land surrounding the capital city of Manila flooded on Monday - most schools and workplaces were closed.
Chinese officials reported that at least 13 of the 25 deaths occurred in the South China Sea province of Guangdong, where record winds of 109 miles per hour ripped through the city of Shanwei. Houses were destroyed by the harsh conditions, while one county's electricity and water supply shut down. Al-Jazeera reported that one man was killed after being struck by a falling window pane.
"It is the strongest typhoon I have ever encountered," gas station attendant in Shanwei, Luo Hailing, told Chinese news service Xinhua. "So terrible, lucky we made preparations."
In Hong Kong, 17 people were treated for injuries caused by falling trees. The Hong Kong Exchange stalled trading until after the typhoon passed.
The Chinese national weather center reported that the storm was moving north west, and would continue to weaken on its path.
