Prapiroon, the sixth typhoon of the year, packed up strong winds and dumped torrential rains in Guangdong, with Taishan, Enping, and Yangchun being worst hit, affecting 3.72 million people and razing 7,000 houses. The direct economic losses are forecast at 2.4 billion yuan (300 million U.S. dollars).

It even produced a tornado which struck areas including Foshan, Shanwei and Shaoguan in Guangdong on Friday, causing nine deaths in Foshan, said a spokesman from the Guangdong Provincial Office for Drought, Flood and Wind Control.

Information from the Civil Affairs Bureau of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region said 1.43 million people in 28 counties and urban areas were affected by the rains brought along by Prapiroon, including 219,441 people who were displaced.

Prapiroon, which means Rain God in Thai, formed in the South China Sea and strengthened into a typhoon on Wednesday noon.