Rescuers drag stranded whale back to sea after typhoon on Guangdong coast

Rescuers in Yangjiang, Guangdong province successfully freed a killer whale that had been beached during a super typhoon, media reported on Sunday.

Local residents discovered the stranded whale at 5:30 pm on Saturday following one of typhoon Rammasun's attacks on the area, reported China Central Television.

Police and soldiers struggled to push the 4-ton whale back in the ocean as heavy waves pounded the coast while locals poured buckets of water on the mammal to keep it hydrated, said the report.

In an operation that lasted two hours, a group of around 10 rescuers then moved the whale onto a large plastic tarp and dragged it into waters deep enough for it to swim away.

Super typhoon Rammasun hit the coasts of Hainan province, Guangdong province, and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region three times on Friday and Saturday. At least 17 people are dead and 5 million people have been affected by the storm.