Thousands are evacuated from southern coastal areas of China as typhoon Hagupit hits the region.

China's Meteorological Administration issued an "urgent red alert", its highest-level warning, as the storm made landfall, even though the Tropical Storm Watch downgraded the storm from category 4 to 3 on a scale of 5.

Tropical storms in the area often turn into typhoons from the warm ocean waters.

Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan and southern China are hit by typhoons during the tropical storms season which lasts from early summer to late autumn.

Typhoon Hagupit killed eight people in the Philippines.

Basmah Fahim reports.

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