(Yicai Global) Aug. 23 -- Hato, the 13th typhoon of the season, struck land near the city of Zhuhai in China's southeastern economic hub of Guangdong province this afternoon.

The typhoon is set to strengthen in the wee hours and China's meteorological office has accordingly issued a red alert.

Hato has currently already had a devastating effect along the mainland littoral and in Hong Kong and Macao. The superstorm is moving at a speed of about 15 miles (25 kilometers) per hour and intensifying, as the red alert warns. The coast of Fujian province and the Taiwan region are already experiencing deluges, with winds gusting to Force 9 to Force 12, with some areas suffering gusts as high even as Force 13 to 17, which caps the Beaufort scale, per information from China News Service.

Shenzhen city in Guangdong has issued a level-one emergency response for wind and flood prevention measures, and all activities in schools, factories and malls throughout the city have shut down. Some flights in Shenzhen Airport will be canceled, as will all flights to or from Hong Kong and Macao, while some metro lines will suspend operations, as well.

Hong Kong Observatory has likewise issued Hurricane Signal No. 10 -- the highest level. Flights to and from Hong Kong between 6.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m. today have all been scrubbed, and ferry lines and buses are all also not running. Hong Kong's Ocean Park is shuttered. The Hong Kong Stock Exchange likewise announced its suspension of trading today.

Macao is also severely hit. A local electrical pylon has snapped, blacking out the autonomous region, information from China's earthquake network news.ceic.ac.cn shows.