Typhoon Mujigae kills at least six in southern China

Typhoon Mujigae has killed at least six people and injured 215 in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong since arriving on Sunday, report state media.

Residents of the city of Zhanjiang, where the typhoon made landfall, were lashed with strong winds and rain.

Mujigae has since weakened and moved into neighbouring Guangxi province.

The typhoon swept through Taiwan and the Philippines on Saturday. Philippine officials told the Associated Press at least two people had died.

Flights grounded

Men ride an electric bike along a street as Typhoon Mujigae hits Zhanjiang, Guangdong province, 4 October 2015 — Image captionZhanjiang residents were lashed with strong winds and rain

The typhoon, whose name means “rainbow” in Korean, had prompted the evacuations of thousands of people in southern China prior to its arrival.

It landed in Zhanjiang on Sunday afternoon with winds of 180 km/h (112 mph) at its centre.

Trees are blown by Typhoon Mujigae on a street in Zhanjiang, Guangdong province, 4 October 2015. — Image captionZhanjiang bore the brunt of the powerful storm

It caused widespread blackouts and a cut-off in water supply in some areas in Zhanjiang, according to state news agency Xinhua.

It grounded flights and prompted suspensions of rail service in some cities along China’s southern coast, including places popular with tourists such as Hainan and Sanya.

People try to remove a bough from a street as Typhoon Mujigae hits Maoming, Guangdong province, 4 October 2015 — Image captionElsewhere in Guangdong, in the town of Maoming, large boughs crashed onto the streets

Another tourist spot, Fangji Island, also saw more than 500 tourists stranded during the typhoon.

The typhoon landed amid China’s week-long National Day holiday, disrupting plans for many holidaymakers.

It is now in Guangxi where it has significantly weakened. Local authorities have ordered tens of thousands of fishing boats and offshore workers to return to port as a precaution, according to AP.