On Taiwan, which took the brunt of Haikui's fury, 125-mile-per-hour winds tore apart outdoor structures and injured dozens, but no deaths have been reported so far. However, the Hong Kong and Macau special Administrative Regions and Guangdong and Fujian provinces were next to be hit, coming just days after another storm, Typhoon Saola, swept through the area.
While Saola's impact was not dramatic, Haikui brought the worst rain Hong Kong had seen in 140 years to already-rain-soaked land, turning roads into rivers and paralyzing transportation across the Pearl River Delta region. At least four people have died in Hong Kong as a result of the storm.
Authorities have scrambled to recapture the deadly predators, using sonar equipment and tips from locals, who have been warned to stay inside due to the danger.
Photos shared by Chinese media showed several of the carnivorous reptiles hog-tied by local militiamen.
While these crocs were apprehended alive, the militia are reportedly prepared to use their rifles to stop the rest of them. According to media reports, the animals will have to be culled for safety reasons.
The farmer from whose farms the crocs escaped told local media they had escaped from a breeding area typically surrounded by a 10-foot-high wall and wire mesh. He speculated the flooding had caused a breach in the enclosure wall and that the wire mesh failed.