Dhaka, Oct. 6 -- Typhoon Matmo intensified as it approached southern China, leading authorities to evacuate around 347,000 people from Guangdong and Hainan provinces ahead of Sunday's landfall.

The storm, with maximum sustained winds of 151 kph (94 mph) Sunday morning, struck Zhanjiang in Guangdong in the mid-afternoon, prompting China's National Meteorological Center to issue a red-level typhoon warning, the highest on its scale.

Hainan province, also in the storm's path, canceled flights, suspended public transport, and closed businesses starting Saturday. Authorities preemptively evacuated 197,856 residents. In Guangdong, 151,000 people were moved from the southwestern coastal areas, and local media reported waves washing over roads ...