As the south of China is lashed by severe weather, the Government warned people to stay inside and close the doors. After a typhoon earlier this week, shipping and flights have been disrupted by heavy rain and strong winds. A tropical storm gathered strength over the South China Sea and was upgraded to typhoon on Thursday and hit the Leizhou Peninsula in Guangdong. Shipping and flights had already been suspended and dozens of flights cancelled. More than 26 000 fishing boats are taking shelter in Hainan ports.