Beijing, Sep 2 (IANS): Typhoon Saola, the ninth typhoon of this year, made landfall in the city of Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province at 3:30 a.m. Saturday, according to the province's meteorological observatory.

With a maximum wind speed of 42 to 46 meters per second near its eye, Saola landed in the coastal area of Jinwan District in Zhuhai. It is expected to wane as it moves west by south along the coastline of Guangdong at a speed of 15 to 20 km per hour, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the forecast.

By 10 a.m. Friday, over 780,000 people in Guangdong had been evacuated from risky areas, all of the province's 80,000-plus fishery vessels had returned to harbors for shelter, and 13 cities in the province had postponed the starting date of the autumn semester for primary, and middle schools and kindergartens, according to the province's flood, drought and typhoon control headquarters.

Saola is expected to bring strong gales and heavy rains to Guangdong's southern and coastal areas from Saturday to Sunday, according to the local meteorological observatory.