South China province braces for super typhoon Yagi

GUANGZHOU -- South China's Guangdong province is fully prepared for super typhoon Yagi, with outdoor activities halted and flights and schools suspended.

Yagi, the 11th typhoon of the year, has developed into a super typhoon of level 17, packing winds of up to 209 km per hour. The typhoon is forecast to make landfall on Friday afternoon somewhere between the city of Wenchang in Hainan province and Xuwen county in Guangdong province.

On Friday, Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in Guangdong's provincial capital canceled all flights to Hainan province and Zhanjiang city in Guangdong. The Zhanjiang Wuchuan International Airport, also in Guangdong, suspended all inbound and outbound flights.

According to the Guangdong provincial emergency management department, work at more than 2,600 construction sites in Guangdong has been suspended, with about 74,000 people evacuated. All 8,990 schools, kindergartens and educational institutions in the province have been temporarily closed, and 84,873 fishing boats have sought shelter in harbors.