A powerful storm which killed dozens of people in the Philippines is now making its way across southern China.

Typhoon Mangkhut is one of the most powerful storms to hit the region in decades.

Two people have been killed in the Chinese province of Guangdong, according to state media - more than 2.5 million people have been evacuated in Guangdong and on Hainan island.

In Hong Kong, the storm wrecked buildings and shut down the city.

The typhoon is now moving inland, and is expected to hit the Chinese regions of Guizhou, Chongqing and Yunnan later in the day.

People caught outside as the worst of the storm approached were photographed overwhelmed by conditions -- Photo: REUTERS

Videos on social media from Hong Kong, which was hardest hit over the weekend, showed apartments swaying in the wind, scaffolding crashing to the ground and commercial buildings being battered.

Transport services have also been suspended, with flights cancelled, trains stopped and major roads closed.

The city managed to avoid serious casualties but now faces a difficult recovery as thousands still remain affected by flooding and travel disruptions.

Mangkhut is expected to gradually weaken into a tropical depression by Tuesday as it continues to move inland.

What's the impact on China?

Typhoon Mangkhut made landfall on the Chinese coast near Jiangmen city on Sunday afternoon.

Officials put the number of injured in Hong Kong at more than 200.

Despite avoiding a direct hit, winds there reportedly reached more than 110mph and as water levels surged by almost 3.5m (12ft) in places.

Authorities had issued their maximum alert, warning residents to stay indoors and away from windows to avoid flying debris.

Most shops and public services were shut, and about 900 flights were cancelled at Hong Kong International Airport.

A resident living in a high-rise in the city told Reuters news agency she could feel her building swaying in the storm.

"It swayed for quite a long time, at least two hours," Elaine Wong said. "It made me feel so dizzy."

In neighbouring Macau, for the first time in its history, the territory's famous casinos were ordered to close.

How badly was the Philippines hit?

Most of the deaths were caused by landslides, government officials say.

Dozens of people are also reportedly missing after the storm, which is being called Ompong locally.

The hardest hit province was Benguet, where 38 people were reported killed, with 37 more unaccounted for, the Associated Press reports.

One of the worst incidents was in the town of Ucab in Itogon, where accommodation for miners was crushed by a large landslide. Police say up to 100 miners are unaccounted for.

The BBC's Howard Johnson travelled 80km from the city of Tuguegarao to Aparri on the northern coast.

He describes a trail of destruction along the route - forests ripped to shreds, electricity poles felled and crops eradicated.

There is also concern over the economic cost of the typhoon, which has caused extensive damage to farmland in Cagayan, a key agricultural province.

Francis Tolentino, a political adviser to President Rodrigo Duterte, told the BBC that he estimated only a fifth of produce there had been harvested in advance - threatening staples like rice and corn.

Preparation and evacuation procedures have improved since Super Typhoon Haiyan in 2013 which killed more than 7,000 people.

Warnings were issued, travel was restricted, schools shut and the army was put on standby in advance.

Source: BBC