6 boat crew members missing, thousands stranded in airport

Local residents walk in rain against strong wind as Typhoon Haiyan approaches in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan province, Nov. 10, 2013.(Xinhua/Guo Cheng)

Rescue crews are searching for 6 members of a Chinese cargo ship that went missing after being blown into the South China Sea by Super Typhoon Haiyan on Sunday.

The powerful typhoon is the strongest recorded so far this year. Authorities in south China's Hainan province have issued their highest alert for the typhoon. Over 200 flights in the city of Sanya were canceled on Sunday, stranding nearly 8-thousand passengers.

Meanwhile, over 20,000 fishing boats have been asked to return to port. Rainfall, flooding, and strong winds have also caused disruptions in urban areas.

Local authorities say the rainfall will become more powerful on Monday as the storm moves southwest toward the northern coast of Vietnam.