Nearly 1M evacuated in powerful China typhoon

SHANGHAI, July 11 (UPI) -- Some 960,000 people in China were evacuated and hundreds of flights were canceled as Typhoon Chan-hom made a direct hit on the country's southeast coast with winds estimated at 100 mph.

The typhoon made landfall at 4:40 p.m. local time Saturday in Zhujiajian Township of the Putuo District in the city of Zhoushan. No injuries have been reported, but more than 90 homes collapsed and nearly 12,000 businesses closed due to flooding. The economic losses are preliminarily estimated at 1.947 billion yuan ($318 million). Some 200,000 homes in 130 villages in coastal cities remain without power.

The country's rail system, bus services and speedboat ferries were canceled throughout the weekend.

The storm, considered the most powerful in the country in more than 60 years, was initially designated a super-typhoon but downgraded to severe Saturday afternoon. It is expected to move over Shanghai on Saturday night, with the eye just southeast of the city.

At the same time, Japan is closely watching Typhoon Nangka, which may make landfall next week. While the storm was briefly a super typhoon with winds in excess of 150 mph, it has since been downgraded to a Category 2 equivalent, with winds up to 110 mph.