Super typhoon Yagi made landfall in China’s island province of Hainan on Friday, as officials were ready for what might be the most powerful storm to slam the nation’s southern coast in ten years.
According to authorities quoted by China’s state-run Xinhua news agency, the typhoon was predicted to make landfall later on Friday along the coastal regions from Hainan, a well-liked vacation spot, to neighboring Guangdong province.
In reaction to floods in both provinces, the ministry of water resources upgraded its emergency response to the third-highest level on Thursday.
“Yagi is likely to be the strongest typhoon to hit China’s southern coast since 2014, making flood and prevention work very challenging,” Xinhua said, according to a meeting held by flood officials.
Packing wind speeds of more than 240 kilometres (149 miles) per hour, the typhoon “is equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane”, according to NASA Earth Data.
In Hong Kong, which experienced heavy rains overnight as Yagi passed within 400 kilometres, the city’s third-highest typhoon warning will be in place until 12:40 pm (0440 GMT).
On Friday, the stock market in Hong Kong ceased trading, public transit in the financial district was restricted, and schools remained closed.
Although there was limited damage due to the persistent rain on Friday, according to the authorities, three persons were hurt.
Typhoons that originate in the warm waters east of the Philippines and move west commonly strike southern China in the summer and fall.
However, researchers claim that as a result of climate change, tropical storms are becoming more intense and unpredictable, bringing with them strong gusts and torrential rains that cause coastal damage and flash floods.
At least 13 people were killed when Yagi caused landslides and floods on the major Philippine island of Luzon earlier this week.
After moving through southern China, it will head for Vietnam, on course to hit the northern and north-central regions around the famed UNESCO heritage site Halong Bay on Saturday.
Vietnamese authorities have already urged around 2,200 tourists on coastal islands to return to the mainland on Thursday, and mobilised more than 2,700 military personnel to help typhoon preparation.
