Typhoon Neoguri reaches land in south China, weakens

HAIKOU, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Typhoon Neoguri hit land on Friday evening in south China's Hainan Province and weakened into a severe tropical storm, the local meteorological observatory said.

It landed at Longlou Town, Wenchang City, in the northeast of the island at 10:30 p.m., packing winds of up to 108 kilometers per hour, according to Hainan Provincial Meteorological Observatory.

Neoguri, the first typhoon to approach south China this year, continued to move north towards neighboring Guangdong Province.

Rainstorms are expected to hit the island from Friday to Saturday, with the maximum precipitation reaching 150 millimeter in the east.