Typhoon Saola has made landfall in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong as violent winds lashed nearby Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Macau, leaving at least one dead and a trail of destruction and flooding in many areas.

Iran PressAsia: Hong Kong and China’s neighboring provinces canceled hundreds of flights on Friday and shut businesses and schools as the super typhoon – packing winds of more than 200 kilometers per hour (125 miles per hour) – edged closer, forcing some 900,000 people to leave areas at risk in Guangdong and Fujian provinces.

But as southern China’s coastal areas braced for the storm’s arrival, Saola was downgraded before dawn on Saturday, after the typhoon passed Hong Kong without the much-feared direct hit on the financial hub, and then weakened.

Chinese authorities said Saola had made landfall in Guangdong’s Zhuhai city with winds slowing to about 160km/h (99mph) and was expected to weaken further as it moved along China’s southern coastline.

Local media reported that one person was killed in Guangdong’s Shenzhen city after a tree fell and hit their vehicle.

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