Typhoon Noul made landfall in southern China early Sunday, bringing strong winds and heavy rainfall to Guangdong province and Hong Kong, forcing more than 700,000 people to evacuate and disrupting air and rail services.

China’s National Meteorological Center said Noul struck the coast of Huidong county in Huizhou city, Guangdong, around 3:50am Sunday. State media described it as the strongest typhoon to hit China so far this year.

Hong Kong’s Observatory said the storm had maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometres per hour near its centre as it moved inland over Guangdong, gradually weakening while continuing to affect the region with heavy rain and strong winds.

More than 715,000 people in Guangdong province were relocated as authorities placed the area on high alert, state media reported. Train services across the province were suspended on Sunday.

The weather authority warned that parts of southern Guangdong and southeastern Fujian provinces could experience heavy rainfall and strong winds over the weekend. State broadcaster CCTV reported that several trees were uprooted in coastal Huilai county.

Hong Kong’s airport authority said around 350 flights were canceled due to the storm. At least nine people were injured across the city during the typhoon period, according to local authorities.

Before reaching Hong Kong, parts of scaffolding attached to a high-rise building collapsed on Saturday afternoon, police said, though no injuries were reported initially.

Taiwan’s weather agency said Noul brought rainfall to parts of southern and eastern Taiwan before moving away from the island.

Earlier this month, Typhoon Bavi affected eastern China with strong winds and heavy rain, prompting the evacuation of more than 2 million people after making landfall on July 11. Another storm, Maysak, hit southern China on July 3.