Typhoon Nida hits South China's Guangxi

NANNING -- Typhoon Nida hit south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Tuesday afternoon after making landfall at 3:35 a.m. Tuesday in the city of Shenzhen in neighboring Guangdong Province.

Nida entered Guangxi via the city of Wuzhou around 5 p.m. and is moving northwest at 20 km per hour. It is expected to sweep across the counties of Cangwu, Zhaoping, and Mengshan and the cities of Liuzhou and Hechi in the following 24 hours, according to the regional meteorological station of Guangxi.

As Nida brought gales and heavy rain to the region, Guangxi closed most tourist attractions, including those on Weizhou Island, a large volcanic island which draws tens of thousands of tourists in holidays.

Passenger ships along the coastal areas of the region were also suspended on Tuesday and Nanning Railway Bureau canceled 194 trains.

The local water resources bureau warned that most rivers will be swollen and some small or medium rivers are liable to flood.

Nida is predicted to affect southwest China's Yunnan Province on Wednesday and Thursday.

Heavy rain is forecast for Yunnan, which has raised fears of floods and landslides, the provincial meteorological bureau said, warning residents in mountainous areas to take precautions.