Typhoon Haiyan causes chaos

PKG

INTRO

Typhoon Haiyan has been downgraded to a strong tropical storm as it moved inland after making landfall in China.

But it still caused some devastation and left at least seven people dead in China's southern regions over the past two days.

PKG

Haiyan, the strongest typhoon so far this year, has been weakening after it hit land in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Monday.

It has brought rainstorms and floods to Guangxi and Hainan, destroying houses and damaging farmland.

In Nanning, Guangxi's regional capital, travelling was made extremely difficult.

SOUNDBITE (CHINESE) Local resident

"I can't even move. I was almost blown away just now when I was walking on a bridge. I knew my feet would get wet, so I wore slippers. But I never expected I would get so completely soaked."

Trees were blown down, blocking roads during the morning rush hour and posing safety threats to passengers.

SOUNDBITE (CHINESE) LU BINGHUAN, Nanning city planting department:

"We're now waiting for tools to deal with the fallen trees. The traffic may get moving in an hour."

One person has drowned and 12,000 others were affected in Guangxi.

Kindergartens, primary and middle schools suspended classes on Monday in some cities.

SOUNDBITE (CHINESE) Local resident

"The water was up to my thighs, and my motorbike was flooded."

SOUNDBITE (CHINESE) Local resident

"Water suddenly poured into my car. The seats were submerged. I got out immediately."

Casualties are higher in the southern island province of Hainan, where the storm left six dead and affected nearly half a million.

The victims include two members of a seven-person crew on a cargo ship.

The storm cut the vessel's mooring rope, which had kept it anchored in port. The five others remain missing.

In the resort city of Sanya, more than two hundred flights were canceled, affecting at least 16,000 passengers.

The airport only resumed service at 6 a.m. on Monday.

More than 130 thousand residents have been relocated to avoid further risk.

TAG

Haiyan made landfall in Guangxi on Monday morning after leaving a trail of devastation in the Philippines and Vietnam.

Over a dozen people died in Vietnam and more than 10,000 are feared dead in the Philippines.