Typhoon Noul makes landfall in China, with hundreds of thousands evacuated
471 Min Read
Typhoon Noul has struck southern China, bringing powerful winds and heavy rainfall to Guangdong province and Hong Kong, forcing more than 700,000 people to evacuate as authorities prepared for flooding and storm damage.
China’s national weather centre said Noul made landfall early Sunday on the coast of Huidong county in Huizhou, Guangdong, becoming the strongest typhoon to hit China so far this year, according to state media.
Hong Kong’s Observatory said the storm had maximum sustained winds of around 110 kilometres per hour near its centre as it moved inland, gradually weakening while continuing to affect parts of Guangdong and neighbouring regions.
More than 715,000 people had been relocated for safety in Guangdong by Monday, after authorities reported that around 340,000 residents had already been evacuated the previous day.
The storm caused widespread disruption, with heavy rain and strong winds forecast across southern Guangdong and southeastern Fujian provinces. State broadcaster CCTV reported uprooted trees in coastal areas, including Huilai county.
In Hong Kong, around 350 flights were cancelled on Sunday as the typhoon approached, while at least nine people were reported injured during the storm period. Authorities also said sections of scaffolding on a high-rise building collapsed on Saturday, although no injuries were initially reported.
Noul is the latest in a series of severe weather events to affect parts of East and Southeast Asia during the current typhoon season, raising renewed concerns over the impact of increasingly intense storms on densely populated coastal areas.
