China's Hainan province has been battered by massive 152mph winds, as Typhoon Kajiki hit land with devastating effect. Emergency services were placed on the highest alert as the tropical storm unleashed its terrifying power on the island in the South China Sea.
Dramatic video images shot by local residents in Sanya city show rain lashing down at the height of the storm, with blocks of flats partially hidden in mist from the spray and clouds. Meteorologists say Kajiki is the "strongest typhoon" ever recorded in the city's history. The Backpirch Weather channel said: "Typhoon Kajiki just raked the urban coastline of Hainan with gusts exceeding 150mph (240kph). In the last 12 hours, this Cat 2 storm made a N jog and scraped the island’s southern shores with his eyewall, producing the strongest winds ever recorded in the city of Sanya.
"Following the eyewall’s glancing strike, Kajiki’s NE quadrant rainbands are now dousing Hainan in constant rainfall."
They added: "The recent land interaction with Hainan has significantly eroded Kajiki’s core, ending what was the beginning of a VERY rapid phase of intensification.
"While this is good news for Vietnam, Kajiki still has several more hours over the Gulf of Tonkin to potentially reorganise somewhat, and the rain-induced flooding threat is as present as ever.
"Heed all orders and advice from officials if you are in this storm’s path."
In another video clip, a man barely escapes with his life, after a tree comes crashing down close to him. Other images show huge waves whipped up by the ferocious storm crashing on to the island's shores.
Hainan authorities had evacuated a total of 20,728 people from potentially dangerous areas in the lead up to the typhoon making landfall.
All 30,769 local fishing boats with over 21,00 crew members returned to port for safe keeping.
The storm is expected to hit Vietnam next, where more than 586,000 people have been evacuated.
The BBC Weather channel says Typhoon Kajiki is expected to weaken as it moves inland into Vietnam, but still lash the country with winds of 200km/h and expected rainfall of 300-400mm.
