Typhoon Batters Southern China

Typhoon Usagi hit southern China Sunday evening with massive gusts of wind and heavy rains. The storm, which veered from its path and missed Hong Kong, forced officials to cancel hundreds of flights, shut down shipping activity, and order more than 8,000 fishing boats to return to port. Classified as a severe typhoon, Usagi had winds that reached 109 miles per hour. The storm killed two as it passed by the Philippines, and nine people in Taiwan were hurt by falling trees. About 1,2000 residents in Shanwei were taken to temporary shelters to ride out the storm, according to China's news agency.