Chaba, the third typhoon of the year, makes landfall in the coastal area of Maoming in South China's Guangdong Province at around 3 pm on July 2. Photo:VCG

A total of 27 people went missing after a floating crane's mooring chain broke causing the vessel to sink while trying to resist typhoon Chaba in South China's Guangdong Province waters on Saturday morning. 

At 3:50 am on Saturday, the floating crane was found  to have had dragged anchor in waters nearby the city of Yangjiang, according to the provincial maritime search and rescue center on Sunday, the Xinhua News Agency reported. 

Three people had been rescued by 12 pm on Saturday while 27 others who had fallen into the water were declared missing, the center said. 

Rescue helicopters, rescue vessels and merchant vessels nearby have been mobilized to search for the missing personnel. Search and rescue efforts are still underway.

Chaba, the third typhoon of the year, caused a landfall in the coastal area of South China's Guangdong Province at around 3 pm on Saturday, meanwhile local schools, shipping services, exhibitions and other public activities were suspended.

Guangdong had ordered 53,728 fishing boats to return to the local ports for shelter, the province closed 82 seaside scenic spots and beaches and evacuated 77,900 people to safe areas, local media reported.

The typhoon entered South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Saturday night with a slightly weakened strength, and is expected to move further north into the country. 

Global Times