BEIJING

At least four people were killed and over 200 others injured on Monday as Typhoon Mangkhut hit southern China and Hong Kong.

Most effective in the Hong Kong and Macau regions, the typhoon killed four people in Guangdong province, according to the Chinese Communist Party newspaper Global Times.

Meanwhile, 213 people were injured in Hong Kong and 18 in Macau.

The speed of the typhoon reached 165 kilometers per hour (103 miles per hour) in southern Chinese provinces. It has brought fishery, transportation and education to a halt in the area.

At least 2.5 million people were evacuated to safe areas in the southern provinces of Guangdong.

On Sunday, China issued a red alert in Hong Kong and Macau regions as the typhoon -- coming from Philippines -- hit the country.

The National Meteorological Center upgraded the alert to the highest level for the 22nd typhoon of the year.

The southern provinces of Guangdong, Fujian and Hainan were also included in the alert.

Reporting by Fuat Kabakci; Writing by Faruk Zorlu