Tropical Storm Tapah makes landfall in southern China, forcing evacuations and school closures

Schools closed, flights were disrupted and tens of thousands of people were evacuated in southern China as Tropical Storm Tapah made landfall Monday.

The economic hub of Guangdong province near Hong Kong halted some train and ferry services ahead of the storm, according to the official Xinhua news agency. Dozens of scenic areas were closed and some 60,000 people were evacuated across the region by Sunday afternoon, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

CCTV said the storm made landfall around the coastal area of Taishan city in Guangdong at around 8:50 a.m. local time, with maximum sustained winds near its center reaching 30 meters (98 feet) per second.

In the Chinese casino hub of Macao, minor flooding occurred in some areas.

(AP)