Typhoon strikes south China after killing six in Philippines

Reuters: A typhoon struck the south coast of China on Wednesday, forcing airlines to cancel flights and halting stock exchange trading in the financial center of Hong Kong after leaving a trail of destruction in the Philippines.

The Hong Kong weather observatory raised its No. 8 tropical cyclone signal early in the day, its third highest alert, but had lowered it by the afternoon as Typhoon Utor moved inland west of the territory. Heavy rains and gale force winds lashed Hong Kong and uprooted trees, with heavy disruptions to shipping services and flights. Markets, schools and businesses closed for the day.

China's State Oceanic Administration issued a first-level emergency response late on Tuesday and fishing boats and other vessels were called back to port in western Guangdong.

…As of late Tuesday, over 3,000 passengers were stranded at Sanya and Haikou airports on Hainan. Some train and shipping services were also suspended, with waves of over 10 meters (32 feet) expected in some coastal zones.

Utor was the worst typhoon to hit the Philippines this year, killing six people and displacing over 30,000 families as it caused landslides and floods and disrupted power and communications links….

Typhoon Utor on August 14, 2013, via NASA