Beijing, China (CNN) -- Chanthu, the third typhoon of the West Pacific season, slowed down Thursday as it made its way over land in southern China.
As the tropical storm drenched a region already inundated by heavy rain and deadly flooding, its top winds slowed to 63 mph (101 kph).
It had made landfall with winds above 70 mph at 1:45 p.m. in Wuchuan City in southern China's Guangdong Province, the state-run Xinhua news agency said.
The government ordered evacuations in severely affected areas, especially in ports, fishing farms on the sea, dilapidated housing and low-lying ground. It urged local governments to step up flood control efforts.
No casualties have been reported so far.
Torrential rains and flooding this year already have been the worst in a decade, claiming the lives of 701 people and leaving 347 missing, Xinhua said, citing government figures.
Chanthu could drench some rain-swollen areas with another 20 inches of rain, said CNN meteorologist Jenny Harrison.
As the storm moves by, an area of particular concern is the region along the Yangtze River, which already has experienced the worst flooding in 30 years. Floodgates on the Three Gorges Dam have been opened to control the flow, and pictures from the scene show huge volumes of water pouring from it.
Throughout the country, floods have hit 27 provinces and municipalities, affecting 110 million people, according to Xinhua. It said more than 8 million people have been relocated.
About 287,000 military personnel have been mobilized in anti-flood operations, and schools are being advised to do what they can to ensure students' safety.
Satellite image of Chanthu before it made landfall 
Two people are dead and thousands of others lost their homes in southern China after . The Typhoon made landfall in the  province with winds that reached 126 kilometers per hour (78 miles per hour). The storm caused approximatively 2.2 billion  (325 million, 251 million) worth of damages.

Chanthu caused downpours in China's southern provinces, with central and western provinces expected to flood as well. The Typhoon prompted President Hu Jintao to call for increased flood control measures. Chanthu is the latest in a string of recent violent storms followed by massive floods. 

So far this year 701 people have been killed by flooding, the highest since 1998. Along with that 347 people are missing and presumed dead. Storms have also destroyed 27,160 houses and 101,000 hectares (250,000 acres) of farmland.