Deadly Typhoon Hammers Hong Kong on Path to Southern China

Posted September 29th, 2011 at 2:15 am (UTC-5)
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A powerful typhoon is pounding wide areas of southern China Thursday after cutting a path of death and destruction through the Philippines.

Hong Kong officials reported heavy winds and rains from Typhoon Nesat, which was centered about 350 kilometers southwest of the Chinese territory and on a path for Hainan island with maximum sustained winds over 100 kilometers an hour.

Businesses, government offices, schools and financial markets in Hong Kong were closed, and all air, rail and ferry services have been shut down. At least two people have been injured by falling debris.

Typhoon Nesat killed 35 people and left another 45 missing when it struck the main Philippine island of Luzon Tuesday. The winds downed trees and caused huge waves that crashed over seawalls in Manila, flooding a hospital, several businesses and the U.S. embassy.

Officials said efforts to find dozens of people still missing are being hampered by bad weather.

Philippine forecasters say another tropical storm brewing in the Pacific Ocean is on track to hit Luzon later this week.