The latest typhoon information from the National Meteorological Center (NMC) said that Typhoon Yagi (Typhoon No. 3 as called by Vietnam) will be the strongest typhoon to hit China's Hainan Island Province in the past decade.
Typhoon Yagi has strengthened into a super typhoon and is expected to make landfall between Quynh Hai district (Hai Nam) and Qionghai district, Hai Nam and Dien Bach district (Quang Dong) this afternoon or evening (September 6) - Xiang Chunyi, weather forecaster of NMC said.
The Washington Post reported that by the afternoon of September 6, Typhoon Yagi is forecast to weaken slightly but is still expected to make landfall with maximum sustained winds of 185-209 km/h.
At 7:00 a.m. on September 6, the storm was still moving at a speed of 15-20km/h, likely to gradually drift southward compared to previous forecasts, so it could cause more direct and severe impacts on Hai Khau - the capital of Hainan province, home to 3 million residents.
Hai Khau could be at the end of the western eye of Yagi - or the inner ring of the devastating winds and heavy rain surrounding the eye of the storm.
NMC said that super typhoon Yagi has paralyzed normal activities in coastal cities of Guangdong and Hainan provinces.
The storm is expected to bring heavy rain and gusts of wind to cities along the coast of Guangdong until September 7 - Liang Qiaoqian, chief forecaster at the Quang Dong Provincial Meteorological Agency said.
The two provinces of Quang Dong and Hainan have upgraded their storm emergency response to the highest level on the morning of September 5.
In Tram Giang, Dong, which is expected to be heavily affected by the storm, vehicles - except emergency rescue and similar types - have been asked to stop operations, while people are advised to limit outdoor activities. Power supply for large outdoor projects has also been cut since September 5.
In Hainan, 34,707 fishing vessels have been anchored at designated ports or safe areas and 78,261 individuals working offshore have been relocated to the mainland.
Van Xuong, another city in Hainan at risk of being heavily hit by the storm, has planned to move about 240,000 residents to safe areas.
Meanwhile, coastal and beach attractions in Guangdong and Hainan are required to temporarily close. The ferry service through Quynh Chau Strait has also been suspended until September 8.
In Zhuhai, Guangdong, about 40 flights were canceled on September 5 to ensure safety. Similar measures have been taken in Hainan.
The train was also affected. All trains on the high-speed railway line around Hainan and the Hai Khau urban railway line have been suspended until September 7.
According to the Washington Post, Typhoon Yagi became the second strongest storm of 2024 globally, after Super Typhoon Beryl, a storm with winds of 265km/h in the eastern Caribbean on July 2.
