After entering the open waters of the South China Sea, Nepartak continued to intensify and turned more toward the northwest. It attained its peak intensity on November 16, with maximum 10‑minute sustained winds of 120 km/h (75 mph) and 1-minute winds of 140 km/h (85 mph).[nb 1] After weakening slightly, the storm found a weakness in the easterly steering currents and bore north, reintensifying slightly and directly striking southwestern Hainan. There, heavy rainfall and strong winds destroyed crops, livestock, and hundreds of homes, leaving $197 million (2003 USD) in damage.