Typhoon Kujira makes landfall in south China

Workers clear coconut tree branches on a road in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, June 22, 2015. Typhoon Kujira, the eighth typhoon of 2015, made landfall in Hainan Province on Monday evening. The storm landed in the coastal city of Wanning at 6:50 p.m., packing winds of up to 90 kilometers per hour, said the Hainan Meteorological Service. (Xinhua/Zhao Yingquan)

HAIKOU, June 22 -- Typhoon Kujira, the eighth typhoon of 2015,made landfall in south China's Hainan Province on Monday evening.

The storm landed in the coastal city of Wanning at 6:50 p.m., packing winds of up to 90 kilometers per hour, said the Hainan Meteorological Service.

The island province has evacuated more than 40,000 people, and over 20,000 fishing boats in the province have been called back to harbor.

Strong gales and heavy rains hit the northern, central and eastern parts of the island on Monday, with the precipitation ranging from 50 mm to 150 mm. The rainy weather will continue until Tuesday.

The timely rain is expected to alleviate a severe drought which has affected 30 percent of the tropical island, causing drinking water shortage for 130,000 people and drying up 119 small reservoirs.

Sanya, a popular tropical tourist destination, was hit by the worst drought since it began meteorological records in 1959. The city's precipitation since May was 90 percent less than normal years.

Kujira is the first typhoon to hit China this year. It was formed in the South China Seaon Sunday.

By 7:30 p.m. Monday, 63 flights were canceled at the Meilan International Airport in Haikou, the provincial capital. The Sanya Phoenix International Airport canceled 39 flights by 4 p.m. Monday.

Shipping services and passenger trains on the Qiongzhou Strait, which connects Hainan and Guangdong, were suspended on Monday.

High-speed trains between Haikou and Sanya were also suspended at 6 p.m. Monday, said railway authorities.

All elementary and middle schools in Haikou City will be closed on Tuesday, according to the local government.