The death toll rises to 17 people as Typhoon Soudelor hits mainland China, pummeling the provinces of Zhejiang and Fujian. "In neighbouring Zhejiang province 14 were killed. The official news agency Xinhua quoted local officials as saying that the dead and missing may have been washed away by floods or buried under ruined homes," according to the Guardian. Five people are still missing.

Typhoon Soudelor hit Taiwan on Aug. 8, killing six people and injuring hundreds, as previously reported by HNGN. By Sunday, upon arriving in mainland China, Typhoon Soudelor downgraded to tropical storm hitting China with heavy rains and fierce winds.

Since Saturday, thousands were being evacuated to large areas since Soudelor barreled the Zhejiang and Fujian provinces. In Wencheng country, there is a 24-hour recorded downpour of 645 millimeters - which is said to be the heaviest in 120 years. By Sunday, half-a-million people were without electricity.

"Fujian raised its typhoon alert to the highest level in anticipation of the storm, with at least 163,000 people evacuated to higher ground. There were reports of more evacuations in neighboring Zhejiang. In Fujian's main city, Fuzhou, more than 10,000 trees were blown down and there was widespread flooding. Rail services and flights were cancelled and schools and offices closed," according to BBC Asia.

Typhoon Soudelor caused more than $1 billion in economic damages which resulted in power outages in two million homes.

Even though Typhoon Soudelor has already weakened, damaging winds and flooding are still expected since it will retain its Category 3 hurricane over landfall. "A lot of flying debris, a lot of tree damage and along the coastal areas, the waves had inundated the low-lying areas, damaging the roads in places as well as some vulnerable properties which were right by the coast," said James Reynolds, storm chaser and Founder of Earth Uncut TV, according to CNN.