People watch waves hit the shores as Typhoon Usagi approaches in Shantou, Guangdong province, Sept. 22, 2013.
Chinese state media say 25 people have been killed as Typhoon Usagi struck southern Guangdong province late Sunday.
The storm made landfall with winds of 165 kilometers per hour after passing over Hong Kong, wreaking havoc on transportation services across the region throughout the day. More than 300 flights in and out of Hong Kong were cancelled, leaving tens of thousands of passengers stranded.
Ferry and high-speed rail services throughout the region were also shut down and thousands of fishing boats were ordered to return to port.
Usagi is the most powerful typhoon of 2013 so far. It was classified as a super typhoon as it blew through the Luzon Strait over the Philippines and Taiwan, where it triggered massive flooding and landslides. The storm killed two people in the northern Philippines and injured nine in Taiwan.
