More than 715,000 people evacuated, flights canceled: The powerful typhoon has reached China
The typhoon reached the coast in Guangdong province, bringing strong winds and heavy rains. Authorities declared the highest level of alert for flash floods in several provinces.
Typhoon Noul, the most powerful to hit China since the beginning of the year, reached the south of the country early Sunday morning, bringing with it strong winds and heavy rains. Following the storm, more than 715,000 people were evacuated from their homes in Guangdong province, hundreds of flights were canceled, and authorities declared the highest level of alert for flash floods in several provinces.
The typhoon, the 12th tropical storm of the year and the third to strike China this month, reached the coast near Huidong County at 03:50 AM. Its name, "Noul," means "glow of sunrise or sunset" in Korean.
According to forecasts, the storm is expected to continue moving inland, bringing strong winds and heavy rains to Jiangxi and Hunan provinces as well. China's National Meteorological Center warned of heavy to extremely heavy rains in the south of the country, which are expected to last at least until Tuesday. In Fujian province, exceptionally heavy rainfall is also expected. Authorities have called on local governments to increase readiness in areas prone to flooding, including mountainous regions, riverbanks, valleys, bridges, and construction sites.
Hong Kong was also affected by the typhoon. The local meteorological service stated that Noul, with sustained winds of up to 110 km/h near its center, is gradually weakening after making landfall in Guangdong province.
The Hong Kong Airport Authority announced that about 350 flights were canceled on Sunday. At least nine people were injured during the storm, and authorities said that flights are expected to resume gradually from the afternoon. Even before the typhoon hit, part of the scaffolding installed on a high-rise building in the city collapsed. According to the police, there were no reports of casualties in that incident.
Taiwan also felt the effects of the storm, which brought rain to parts of the south and east of the island, but later moved away from the area.
At the beginning of the month, Typhoon Bavi hit eastern China, leading to the evacuation of more than two million people after it made landfall on July 11. Another typhoon, Maysak, hit the south of the country on July 3.
